Coward expertly balances many different heavy themes and concepts, such as the concept of being executed for cowardice, on which this film has taken its name.
Written by Paige Irwin
Lukas Dhont’s Coward has had a stunning festival run, and its premiere at TIFF has left me speechless. The central romance in the film feels like a beautiful vine growing through broken brick, graciously picking jewels from the bodies of the dead. In this film, we witness a beautiful and tender story in the midst of the unparalleled violence and brutality of war. Beyond a romantic core, Coward expertly balances many different heavy themes and concepts, such as the concept of being executed for cowardice, on which this film has taken its name.
When I was young, I learned about the concept of being executed for cowardice through an episode of Downton Abbey (2010-2016), and I cried myself to sleep. This is something that still shakes me to this day. Soldiers forced into duty, with certain death on every which path they may take. The punishment for fear- fear of death- being an execution and dishonour to your name is a truly brutal concept. In Coward, the two leads, Pierre (Emmanuel Macchia) and Francis (Valentin Campagne), finding love and light in the face of the absolute bleakness and soulless nature of trench warfare is a miracle in and of itself.
Over two hours, we watch the blooming relationship between these two boys grow, in the absolute worst of circumstances. This vine reaches up and crawls up an unforgiving brick wall, clinging to the little it has and persevering in the face of tragedy, almost touching the sky before being abruptly torn up from the root. Between moments of joy, the brutality of war comes like the swift dropping of a glass of champagne, a celebration a moment away from falling apart. Throughout the film, the camera moves with the feeling and intensity of the current moment on screen; this excellent technique brings the viewer deeply into the world of the film. Watching Coward doesn’t feel like being an outsider looking in; it feels as if you are there with them and lucky enough to revel in wonder at their ability to find light in such unconscionable darkness.
The deeply thoughtful construction of the film is anchored by stunning performances across the board, paired with a script that tersely creates well-rounded characters; the result is extraordinary. A notion clearly understood by every performer in Coward is that faces can tell stories far better than words can. At any point, look into the eyes of a character, and it feels as if you know them. You can imagine them outside of the script, what they would do and who they would be if not constrained by the eye of the camera. In short, every character feels like a real person. This element brings much weight to the story, as sympathy is pulled from us for every single loss and bit of suffering that we witness. Fundamental to the story is the necessity of feeling the burden felt by these soldiers. Dhont finds an equilibrium here, providing many perspectives and creating space for the acceptance of any method of coping. On one hand, the "band of rejects" is said to be "dancing on the graves" of the fallen soldiers, but they are also shown to be a group of young men in absolute anguish, finding solace in art and performance.
Here lies the great importance of Coward, its current relevancy and what differentiates it from other stories of war and love in hard times. Within the film is an expression of the power of performance, of art and authenticity, and the film itself is this very thing. The "band of rejects" brings together audiences and unites them in a collective emotional expression, inviting them into their world for a moment and sharing in the joy of creation, for the first time struggling together, no longer completely alone. As a film, Coward achieves this same feat. This is a film to be seen in theatres, to be experienced in a group, to escape the isolation of the modern world and find the light in the darkness, the love in times of tragedy, through the uniting power of cinema.
Coward just had its North American premiere at TIFF and will be released in theatres in December.
Photo: TIFF
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