Belgium Selects Lukas Dhont’s Coward as Its Oscar Entry

Overview

• Belgian authorities on Tuesday named Lukas Dhont’s World War I drama Coward as the country’s official submission for Best International Feature Film at the 99th Academy Awards.
• Coward was directed by Dhont from a screenplay he co-wrote with Angelo Tijssens and follows two soldiers on the Belgian front who seek connection through performance and intimacy.
• At Cannes the film earned the festival’s Best Actor prize for Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne, a recognition that has raised its critical visibility.
• Mubi has acquired the film for multiple major territories while The Match Factory handles international sales, and the movie is set for festival stops this fall with Diaphana releasing it in France on Nov. 18 and Mubi planning a North American release in December.
• This is the third Belgian Oscar submission of a Dhont film after Girl and Close, and the selection continues Belgium’s strategy of backing Dhont as a key contender for international awards while boosting the profiles of the film’s cast and production partners.