#FIRSTLOOK: RELEASE DATE FOR “COWARD”

MUBI, the global distributor, streaming service and production company, is delighted to announce the Canadian theatrical release date for Lukas Dhont’s (Academy Award® nominee Close) latest feature, Coward, alongside the official artwork. Coward will be released in cinemas across Canada on December 25, 2026 and has been selected as Belgium’s Official Submission for Best International Feature Film for the 99th Academy Awards®.

The film had its World Premiere in Competition at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne jointly won the Best Actor prize.

Set at the height of World War I in the shadows of the Belgian trenches, Lukas Dhont’s Coward unfolds as an epic, intimate journey of youthful self-discovery through love, art, and survival.

Pierre (Macchia) arrives at the front lines as a young soldier eager to find his footing in a world consumed by violence. Everything changes when he meets Francis (Campagne), a kindred spirit whose vision of staging a front-line theatre show unlocks a world Pierre never knew existed. What begins as a fleeting escape from the harsh reality of the trenches soon blossoms into a tender, emotional love story, anchored by the undeniable chemistry of breakout actors Emmanuel Macchia and Valentin Campagne. As the world burns around them, their stage becomes a sanctuary of innocence and devotion.

Coward beautifully explores the fine line between fear and fortitude for soldiers in search of a promised glory, ultimately asking: when the world demands brutality, is walking away for love the truest act of bravery?

Coward marks a reunion for director Lukas Dhont with his key creative collaborators, including co-writer Angelo Tijssens, producer Michiel Dhont, Cinematographer
Frank van den Eeden, composer Valentin Hadjadj, Editor Alain Dessauvage, Production Designer Eve Martin, and Sound Designer Yanna Soentjens. Together they continue the creative partnership that has shaped Dhont’s previous critically acclaimed work (Close, Girl). With Coward, Dhont further cements his reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary European cinema.

COWARD WILL BE RELEASED IN CANADA ON DECEMBER 25, 2026

About MUBI
MUBI is a global streaming service, production company and film distributor dedicated to elevating great cinema. MUBI creates, curates, acquires and champions visionary films, bringing them to audiences all over the world.

MUBI is a place to discover ambitious films by visionary filmmakers. From iconic directors to emerging auteurs. All carefully chosen by MUBI’s curators. With MUBI GO, members in select countries can get a free ticket every week to see the best new films in cinemas. And Notebook explores all sides of cinema culture — both in print and online.

Founded in 2007 by Efe Cakarel, MUBI is the biggest community of film lovers anywhere, with members across 190 different countries. MUBI acquired renowned sales agent and production company The Match Factory and Match Factory Productions in January 2022, and a majority stake in leading Benelux film distributor Cinéart in February 2024.