Coward

During the First World War, the young Belgian Pierre is called up to report for duty at the front. The introverted Pierre is thrust into a world of two extremes: on the one hand, there is the almost cheerful camaraderie amongst the soldiers; on the other, there is the horror of the trenches, where he endures the fear of death. At base camp, he meets the cheerful and kind-hearted Francis. He is tasked with keeping morale high, which he does with his small theatre troupe of wounded soldiers. With their satirical sketches and energetic soldiers’ songs, they provide much-needed distraction. Pierre is fascinated by these performances and by Francis, whom he is beginning to like more and more. And the feeling is mutual.

In this emotional drama, director Lukas Dhont (Girl, Close) masterfully blends the raw horrors of war with the gentle tenderness of a budding romance. This is achieved thanks to the superb screenplay that Dhont co-wrote with his regular screenwriter Angelo Tijssens, and the excellent performances of lead actors Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne.