Set at the height of World War I in the shadows of the Belgian trenches, Lukas Dhont’s Coward unfolds as an epic, intimate journey of youthful self-discovery through love, art, and survival.
Pierre arrives at the front lines as a young soldier eager to find his footing in a world consumed by violence. Everything changes when he meets Francis, a kindred spirit whose vision of staging a front-line theatre show unlocks a world Pierre never knew existed. What begins as a fleeting escape from the harsh reality of the trenches soon blossoms into a tender, emotional love story, anchored by the undeniable chemistry of breakout actors Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne. As the world burns around them, their stage becomes a sanctuary of innocence and devotion.
Coward had its World Premiere in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where Campagne and Macchia jointly won the Best Actor prize. The film will have its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this September. Coward will be released theatrically in North America from 25 December, with international release dates to follow shortly.
A powerful portrait of the profound impact of war on those compelled to fight, Lukas Dhont’s film immerses audiences in the experience of young conscripts, exploring both their vulnerability and resilience in the face of violence. The film finds hope in the bonds forged between its characters, celebrating creativity, camaraderie and the enduring human capacity to carve out spaces of freedom, connection and self-expression beyond the demands of combat.
Coward marks a reunion for director Lukas Dhont with key collaborators, including co-writer Angelo Tijssens and producer Michiel Dhont, continuing a creative partnership that has defined his previous critically acclaimed work. This latest work further cements Dhont’s reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary European cinema.
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