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Coward

Play trailer Poster for Coward 2026 Drama History War Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 24 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 May 28
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 May 28
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 May 26
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 Stephen A. Russell Orion's Shoulder (Substack) 16h
Coward’s heart-sore ode to the many young men and their potential slaughtered on the altar of the so-called Great War, leans into Close’s aching tenderness Go to Full Review Doug Jamieson The Jam Report 5d
4.5/5
A profoundly moving queer romance that finds transcendence in the most unlikely place. Go to Full Review Carlos F. Heredero Caimán Cuadernos de Cine May 26
The result is a worthwhile film, but clearly a minor one in the context of Cannes. [Full review in Spanish] 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