May el-Toukhy’s Woman Unknown will arrive in the competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival (2-12 September) as a Danish-Swedish-Latvian co-production, but the Baltic country’s role extended far beyond a minority partnership. Riga served as the film’s principal production base, standing in for post-war Copenhagen, while more than 60 Latvian professionals worked on set each day and a major interior set was constructed at Riga Film Studio.

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The psychological period drama, led by Mathilde Arcel, is set amid the chaos following Denmark’s liberation in 1945. Marie, a young nanny and housemaid, is preparing to marry Christian, the wealthy older widower for whom she works. Yet she is concealing an intimate relationship she had with a German soldier during the occupation – a secret that threatens both her social ascent and her safety. Arcel is joined by fellow cast members Carsten Bjørnlund, Thorbjørn Hedegaard and Marina Bouras.

The pic marks el-Toukhy’s third feature and continues her collaboration with co-writer Maren Louise Käehne after Long Story Short and Queen of Hearts, the latter a winner of both the Sundance Audience Award and the Nordic Council Film Prize.

Latvian co-producer Madara Kalniņa says Nafta Films joined Woman Unknown during development, rather than coming aboard solely to facilitate its local shoot. “Nafta Films has been part of Woman Unknown since the early stages, so we’ve had the chance to grow with the project and be involved in many of the key creative and production decisions along the way.”

The company operates across Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, an arrangement that allowed the production to change course without losing momentum. Vilnius was originally envisaged as the main location, and the team had already spent a considerable amount of time scouting the Lithuanian capital before the creative requirements pointed them towards Riga.

“As we explored the story and its visual world in more detail, we realised that Riga was a better fit,” explains Kalniņa. “It has a wonderful mix of architecture and atmosphere that could convincingly stand in for Copenhagen, while also offering a great variety of locations within a relatively small area. The availability of Riga Film Studio was another important advantage for the production.”

Ultimately, 25 of the film’s 28 shooting days took place in Riga. Latvia supplied the majority of the crew, with additional local professionals joining during the construction phase at Riga Film Studio. Most of the movie’s central interiors were built there from scratch, demanding close coordination between the Danish and Latvian art departments.

Several prominent creative and technical positions were held by Latvian practitioners. They included co-costume designer Jūlija Volkinšteine, art director Kārlis Utināns, sound recordist Mārtiņš Rozentāls and gaffer Aleksandrs Čerkašins. The wider Latvian team included casting head Marta Dzene, production manager Agate Prozoroviča, location manager Ingrīda Nagle, script supervisor Anna Bijubena and still photographer Andrejs Strokins.

“From the outset, our ambition was not simply to bring an international production to Latvia, but to fully integrate Latvian talent into the filmmaking process,” Kalniņa stresses. “I think Woman Unknown is a great example of how local crews and creatives can contribute at the highest international level, while the country’s production infrastructure, experienced professionals and competitive incentive schemes make Latvia an increasingly attractive destination for both international service productions and European co-productions.”

The production team accessed the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia’s cash-rebate programme as well as support from the Riga Film Fund. For Kalniņa, however, the decisive asset was the team itself. “What stood out most was the collaborative spirit of the Latvian crew. They were able to respond quickly to the production’s needs, adapt to creative challenges and maintain a very high standard throughout the shoot. This combination of skilled professionals, excellent facilities and versatile locations was one of the key reasons why Latvia became such an important partner for the film.”

Woman Unknown was produced by Mikael Rieks for Nordisk Film Production A/S, in co-production with Nafta Films, Nordisk Film Production Sweden and Film i Väst. Kalniņa and Esko Rips are the Latvian co-producers. The partners and backers include the Danish Film Institute, Eurimages, the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Riga City Council, the Nordisk Film & TV Fund, DR, the Swedish Film Institute, SVT, the Riga Film Fund, TrustNordisk and Zentropa. Nordisk Film Distribution handles the film in the Nordic markets, TrustNordisk oversees international sales, and Lucky Red has acquired the Italian distribution rights.