Coward

In Coward, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival 2026, Dhont sends us back one century ago, plunging us into the trenches of World War I. On the Western Front, a platoon of young Belgian soldiers joins the ranks of the foot soldiers fighting the Germans in the mud and dread. Among them is Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia), a tall farmer of few words who soon witnesses the atrocities of the battlefield. When away from the front, the soldiers find respite in the extravagant performances of a cabaret troupe led by the dainty son of a tailor, Francis (Valentin Campagne). His delicate appearance and his imaginative singing and dancing casts a spell on dreamy-eyed Pierre, who feels an intimate connection that he dares not speak about.

In his most ambitious and audacious work to date, Lukas Dhont uses the dramatic landscape and circumstances of history to interrogate his characters (and his audiences) on the price they would pay to be themselves. Coward’s two Cannes-awarded, bedazzling leads (Macchia and Campagne) make it all the more captivating, and Dhont's engrossing storytelling, stunning images and empowering messaging are a fitting finale to close NZIFF 2026. – Paolo Bertolin

“Gracefully finding love in the most hopeless of places, the Belgian director's third feature finds fertile new ground for his interest in imperilled queer identity and masculinity in crisis.” – Guy Lodge, Variety

Explore the full programme at nziff.co.nz.