COWARD

Belgium, France, Netherlands, 2026

120 min

Award for best actor, Festival de Cannes 2026

Director: Lukas Dhont

Screenplay: Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens

Cinematography: Frank Van Den Eeden, SBC-NCS 

Cast: Emmanuel Macchia, Valentin Campagne

Synopsis: 

As the First World War drags on, Pierre, a soldier newly arrived at the front, is eager to prove himself. Behind the lines, he meets Francis, who decides to lift the spirits of his comrades by putting together a theatre show. While the violence continues, both men try to find ways to escape the brutality of war, even if only for a moment. 

Lukas Dhont

Lukas Dhont was born in Ghent, Belgium where he earned a degree in Audio-Visual Arts from the KASK Conservatorium. His short films Corps Perdu and L’Infini received numerous prizes. Throughout his studies, he focused on fiction but also explored the possibilities of documentary. In 2016 Lukas Dhont participated in the Cannes Cinéfondation Residence with the script of his first feature film Girl. The film combined themes the filmmaker had already examined, including dance, transformation and identity. Girl was awarded the Caméra d’or for best first feature at Cannes on its 2018 premiere in Un Certain Regard.