First Pick: Coward
Every month, Filmhuis Den Haag and Movies that Matter team up to put one compelling new release in the spotlight. With First Pick, you get to be one of the first to see it on the big screen, then dive deeper as soon as the credits roll. Expect exclusive (preview) screenings, conversations with topical experts and an exchange of insights that might just make you see the film in a new way. For our second edition, we are screening Coward by Lukas Dhont.
Set on the Belgian front during World War I, the film follows Pierre, who tries to find his place among the other soldiers. Behind the lines, he meets the charismatic Francis, who stages improvised theatre performances with a group of rejected soldiers to keep the troops’ spirits up. Amid muddy trenches where vulnerability seems to have no place, Francis opens up an unexpected space of imagination, freedom and tenderness for Pierre. As the two men increasingly find each other behind the scenes, their shared moments take on a deeper meaning. Something begins to grow that the war cannot destroy: moments of freedom and an unexpected love.
The screening will be introduced by The Queer Choir, followed by a special performance by the choir.
Film language: French. Subtitles: English.