All articles tagged with #lukas dhont
Mubi has acquired North American rights to Lukas Dhont’s Cannes buzz title Coward, after already securing international territories; the WWI-set queer romance follows a soldier named Pierre and a morale-boosting theater show led by Francis behind the front lines, starring Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne. The Match Factory is handling international sales.
IndieWire’s review of Lukas Dhont’s Coward praises its lyrical WWI setting and strong debut performances as two soldiers fall in love amid drag performances and frontline battles. While the film is beautiful, emotionally affecting, and stands as a quieter, less confrontational entry in Dhont’s oeuvre, it’s described as decorous and not as groundbreaking as his earlier work, suggesting Dhont may move beyond queer suffering in future projects. Grade B; premiered at Cannes 2026; US distribution still uncertain.
At Cannes, Lukas Dhont's Coward blends the Western Front’s brutality with a delicate romance between two Belgian soldiers, Pierre and Francis, as a drag-act morale project spirals into a powerful, intimate love story. The film’s lush visuals, strong performances, and refusal to rely on heavy tragedy mark a maturation of Dhont’s work, offering a sensory, emotionally charged take on queer identity set against war.
Lukas Dhont’s World War I drama Coward debuted at the Cannes Film Festival with a 13-minute ovation. The Belgian director’s second Cannes competition entry follows a front-line soldier named Pierre who, with Francis, stages a morale-boosting theatre show to escape war’s brutality. Inspired by a black-and-white photo of a cross‑dressed young man, the film explores bravery and self-expression. Mubi has acquired several territories ahead of the release, and Deadline’s Pete Hammond lauds it as a universal love story.