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Coward

Play trailer Poster for Coward 2026 Drama History War Play Trailer Watchlist
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91% Tomatometer 22 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
The young soldier Pierre wants to prove himself on the battlefield during the First World War. Behind the frontlines, he meets Francis, who is asked to find a way to boost morale.

Critics Reviews

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Philip De Semlyen Time Out 1d
3/5
With LGBTQ+ stories so rare in the filmography of World War I, it’s a rare and welcome perspective -- as well as another showcase for a gifted young filmmaker. Go to Full Review Justin Chang The New Yorker 1d
Dhont expertly handles the tension between the homosocial and the homoerotic, and if his honey-toned visual style sometimes leans toward fussiness, it’s counterbalanced by the brutality of the combat sequences. Go to Full Review David Rooney The Hollywood Reporter 3d
What really sinks Coward is the self-conscious grandiosity with which the director strains for lofty emotional peaks in moments that instead come off as hollow and artificial. Go to Full Review Carlos F. Heredero Caimán Cuadernos de Cine 3d
The result is a worthwhile film, but clearly a minor one in the context of Cannes. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Àngel Quintana Caimán Cuadernos de Cine 3d
A work fascinated by its images and resonances, incapable of transforming these intuitions into a fully lived experience. Pierre and Francis dance before corpses, while the film also seems to dance before its own self-absorption. [Full review in Spanish] Go to Full Review Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 3d
3.5/5
As far as war films go, Dhont brings his unfussy approach to highlight the humanity of his characters, and there’s an almost unexpectedly suspicious warmth, which recalls something like the 1992 film A Midnight Clear. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Lukas Dhont

Director

Emmanuel Macchia

Pierre

Valentin Campagne

Francis

Lukas Dhont

Screenwriter

Angelo Tijssens

Screenwriter

Michiel Dhont

Producer
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Coward

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Movie Info

Synopsis The young soldier Pierre wants to prove himself on the battlefield during the First World War. Behind the frontlines, he meets Francis, who is asked to find a way to boost morale.
Director
Lukas Dhont
Producer
Michiel Dhont
Screenwriter
Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens
Production Co
The Reunion, Lumen, Topkapi Films, Versus Production
Genre
Drama, History, War
Original Language
French