Lukas Dhont’s ‘Coward’ to Open Film Fest Gent for Third Time
“Coward,” the third feature film by acclaimed Belgian director Lukas Dhont, has been selected as the official opening film for the 53rd edition of Film Fest Gent, running from October 7 to 18, 2026. The announcement, made on July 14 by festival organizers, marks the third consecutive time Dhont has opened the prestigious Ghent-based festival, following his debut “Girl” (2018) and sophomore film “Close” (2022).
According to VRT NWS, the film had its world premiere at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in May 2026, where it received a nearly 15-minute standing ovation and earned significant acclaim. Lead actors Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne jointly won the Best Actor award, while Dhont received the Prix du Cinéma Positif.
A War Drama with a Distinctive Lens
Set during World War I in 1916-1917, “Coward” follows Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia), a young Belgian soldier newly arrived at the front who is eager to prove himself. He meets Francis (Valentin Campagne), a soldier tasked with boosting troop morale through improvised theater shows. As the violence of trench warfare intensifies, the two men find solace in each other’s company, forming a gay love story that offers a rare perspective in war cinema.
As the Film Fest Gent official announcement notes, Program Director Wim De Witte described the film as “an ambitious new step in Lukas’s cinematic universe: a war film, a genre rarely seen in Belgian cinema, through which Lukas further deepens his own visual language.” De Witte added that the film’s search for “solace in the beauty of art amidst the horrors of war” feels “painfully relevant once again today.”
A Remarkable Hat Trick for Dhont
The fact that a single director has opened Film Fest Gent three times with three different films is highly unusual and underscores Dhont’s extraordinary trajectory. His debut “Girl” (2018) won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes, while “Close” (2022) won the Grand Prix and was later nominated for an Academy Award for Best International Feature Film in 2023.
Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws, Dhont expressed his gratitude: “Ghent is the city to which I always return with love. Film Fest Gent has been of crucial importance to my development as a filmmaker. The team behind ‘Coward’ and I are incredibly happy and honored to open this new edition of the festival.”
On Radio 1’s “De Ochtend,” Dhont admitted that opening his home city’s festival brings more nerves than Cannes. “It’s the evening I’m most nervous about, perhaps even more than for Cannes,” he said. “There are so many people you know. I find it very exciting to share something like this.”
From Unknown Actors to Cannes Winners
Neither Macchia nor Campagne had formal acting training before “Coward.” Macchia, who was discovered by Dhont at a school in Gembloux where he was studying landscape architecture, had no prior acting experience whatsoever. Dhont described their performances as “very tender, emotional and daring performances” in comments reported by VRT NWS.
The film holds a 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 15 reviews, with a Metacritic score of 67 out of 100, indicating generally favorable reviews, according to Wikipedia.
Production and Release Details
“Coward” is a co-production between Belgium, France, and the Netherlands, involving production companies The Reunion, Versus Production, Topkapi Films, and Lumen. The project received significant public funding, including €500,000 from Eurimages and €200,000 from Screen Flanders.
MUBI, the streaming service and distributor, has acquired distribution rights for multiple territories including the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Latin America, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and North America.
The film will have its Benelux premiere on Wednesday, October 7 at Film Fest Gent’s Kunstencentrum VIERNULVIER. Opening night tickets are already sold out, with a new wave of tickets becoming available from September 17. The film will be released in Belgian cinemas on October 21 and in the Netherlands on October 22.
What’s Next for Belgian Cinema
With “Coward,” Dhont has expanded from intimate family dramas into the war epic genre — a bold move that has already paid dividends on the international stage. The film’s strong performance at Cannes and its selection as the opening film of one of Belgium’s premier festivals signals the continued rise of Belgian cinema on the global stage. Whether “Coward” will follow “Close” in earning an Academy Award nomination remains an open question, but the early signs are promising.