Mubi Secures North American Rights for Lukas Dhont’s "Coward": A Landmark Acquisition at Cannes

The 77th Cannes Film Festival has once again served as the ultimate battleground for high-stakes film distribution, and among the most significant victories of the fortnight is Mubi’s acquisition of North American rights for Lukas Dhont’s "Coward." Following a rapturous world premiere characterized by one of the longest standing ovations in recent festival history, the queer romantic drama has solidified Dhont’s status as one of contemporary cinema’s most vital voices.

This acquisition completes a global puzzle for Mubi, which had previously secured rights for the film across a vast array of international territories. By adding North America to its portfolio, Mubi signals a bold commitment to theatrical distribution and a deepening partnership with the Belgian auteur whose previous works have garnered both critical acclaim and Academy Award recognition.

Main Facts: A Global Deal for a Cinematic Powerhouse

The deal for "Coward" represents a significant moment for Mubi, the global distributor, streaming service, and production company that has rapidly evolved from a niche cinephile platform into a major player in the theatrical landscape. While Mubi had already locked in rights for the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand, the North American market remained the final, most competitive piece of the distribution puzzle.

The Acquisition Details

The North American rights were brokered at the Cannes Market (Marché du Film), where "Coward" emerged as a frontrunner for the Palme d’Or. The film, a period drama set during the First World War, explores the intersections of masculinity, performance, and forbidden desire amidst the carnage of the trenches.

The deal was finalized following the film’s premiere in the Main Competition, where the audience response was nothing short of electric. The standing ovation, lasting several minutes, was not merely a courtesy to the director but a visceral reaction to the film’s emotional depth and technical mastery.

A Continuing Partnership

Mubi’s aggressive pursuit of "Coward" is an extension of its long-standing relationship with Lukas Dhont. The distributor previously handled the release of Dhont’s 2022 sensation "Close" in several key territories. By securing "Coward" on a near-global scale, Mubi is positioning itself as the primary guardian of Dhont’s cinematic legacy, ensuring a unified marketing strategy that spans continents.

Chronology: The Meteoric Rise of Lukas Dhont

To understand the weight of the "Coward" acquisition, one must look at the unprecedented trajectory of Lukas Dhont’s career. At just 33 years old, the Belgian filmmaker has achieved a level of festival success that most directors spend decades striving for.

2018: The "Girl" Phenomenon

Dhont first burst onto the international scene with his debut feature, "Girl," which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. The film, which told the story of a transgender girl pursuing a career in professional ballet, won the prestigious Caméra d’Or (the prize for the best first feature) and the Queer Palm. While it sparked significant conversation and some controversy regarding casting, it established Dhont as a director capable of capturing immense vulnerability and physical rigor on screen.

2022: "Close" and the Path to the Oscars

Four years later, Dhont returned to the Cannes Main Competition with "Close," a devastatingly intimate look at the fracturing of a friendship between two young boys. The film shared the Grand Prix (the festival’s second-highest honor) and went on to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best International Feature Film. "Close" was a commercial success for Mubi and other distributors, proving that Dhont’s sensitive, visually lush storytelling had broad appeal beyond the festival circuit.

2024: "Coward" and Maturity

"Coward" marks Dhont’s third consecutive triumph at Cannes. Moving away from the contemporary coming-of-age themes of his first two films, "Coward" is a sprawling period piece. It demonstrates a director expanding his canvas—trading the intimate confines of schoolyards and dance studios for the mud-soaked battlefields of WWI—while retaining the psychological precision that has become his trademark.

Supporting Data: Narrative Scope and Production Pedigree

"Coward" is not just a romantic drama; it is a meticulously researched historical epic that utilizes the backdrop of the Great War to examine the performance of identity.

The Plot and Themes

The film follows Pierre (played by newcomer Emmanuel Macchia), a young soldier arriving at the front lines with a desperate need to prove his bravery and worth. In the harrowing environment of the trenches, Pierre encounters Francis (Valentin Campagne), a more seasoned soldier who has found a unique way to cope with the trauma of war: organizing theatrical performances for the troops.

As Pierre becomes involved in Francis’s productions, the boundaries between their stage roles and their reality begin to blur. The film explores the "theatrics" of soldiering and the "cowardice" of being unable to live authentically. The title, "Coward," serves as a provocative interrogation of what it meant to be a man in 1914 and how love can be the ultimate act of defiance in a world dedicated to destruction.

The Creative Team (The "Dhont Troupe")

A key factor in the film’s polished execution is Dhont’s reliance on a consistent creative family. "Coward" reunites the director with several key collaborators:

• Angelo Tijssens (Co-writer): Who has co-written all of Dhont’s features, ensuring a consistent thematic voice.
• Michiel Dhont (Producer): Lukas’s brother, who has been instrumental in navigating the logistical challenges of a WWI period piece.
• Frank van den Eeden (Cinematographer): Whose lighting and framing in "Close" were widely praised, here captures the stark contrast between the darkness of the trenches and the artificial glow of the makeshift theater.
• Valentin Hadjadj (Composer): Providing a score that bridges the gap between historical gravity and romantic intimacy.

Production Entities

The film is a complex multi-national co-production involving The Reunion, Lumen, Topkapi Films, and Versus (Opus). It received significant backing from French and Belgian broadcasters, including France 2 Cinéma, VTM, RTBF, and Proximus. This level of institutional support underscores the film’s status as a "prestige" European production.

Official Responses: A Market in Awe

While official statements from Mubi executives often highlight the "artistic integrity" of their acquisitions, the subtext at Cannes was clear: "Coward" was the "must-have" title for any distributor looking to anchor their 2024/2025 awards slate.

The Festival Reaction

Critics at Cannes have praised the film for its "operatic emotionality" and "stunning debut performance" by Emmanuel Macchia. The Match Factory, which handled international sales, reported intense interest from various North American distributors before Mubi ultimately closed the deal. The consensus among industry insiders is that Mubi’s ability to offer a multi-territory "global home" for the film gave them a competitive edge over traditional US-only indie distributors.

The Director’s Vision

In press conferences following the premiere, Lukas Dhont spoke about the necessity of telling queer stories within historical contexts where they have often been erased. "We often look at the World Wars through the lens of statistics and strategy," Dhont remarked. "With ‘Coward,’ we wanted to look at the heart—at the people who were forced to play a role they never auditioned for."

Implications: Mubi’s Evolution and the Future of Independent Film

The acquisition of "Coward" carries weight far beyond a single film’s release. It signals a shift in the power dynamics of the global film market and offers a glimpse into the future of theatrical distribution.

1. Mubi as a "Mini-Major"

By securing North American rights to a major Cannes competition title, Mubi is no longer just a supplement to the theatrical experience; it is the driver of it. This move places Mubi in direct competition with established North American powerhouses like A24, Neon, and Searchlight Pictures. Mubi’s strategy of "owning the world" on a title—controlling the release in almost every major market—allows for a level of marketing synergy that was previously only available to Hollywood studios.

2. The Viability of the "Queer Epic"

The success of "Coward" at the market level suggests that there is a growing appetite for queer narratives that move beyond contemporary settings. Following in the footsteps of films like "Portrait of a Lady on Fire," "Coward" proves that historical dramas with LGBTQ+ protagonists can command high prices and attract massive festival buzz, suggesting a broadening of the "prestige" genre.

3. The Awards Race 2025

With Mubi’s backing, "Coward" immediately enters the conversation for the 97th Academy Awards. Given Dhont’s history with the Oscars and the film’s high-production values, it is a formidable contender not just for Best International Feature (representing Belgium), but potentially in general categories such as Cinematography, Production Design, and even Best Actor for the breakout Emmanuel Macchia.

4. A Crowded Slate

Mubi’s presence at Cannes this year was not limited to "Coward." The distributor also brought a diverse slate including "Minotaur," "Fatherland," "Hope," and the provocatively titled "Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma." This volume of high-quality acquisitions suggests that Mubi is aggressively scaling up its content library to support its global expansion and its "MUBI GO" theatrical initiative, which encourages subscribers to see films in physical cinemas.

Conclusion

Lukas Dhont’s "Coward" is a film about the masks we wear to survive and the courage it takes to remove them. In the high-stakes theater of the Cannes Film Festival, Mubi has removed its own mask, revealing itself as a dominant, global force in film distribution. By securing the North American rights to this buzzy, emotional epic, Mubi has not only invested in a potential awards season juggernaut but has also reaffirmed its commitment to the kind of bold, auteur-driven cinema that defines the medium’s future. As "Coward" prepares for its journey from the Croisette to theaters across North America, it carries with it the expectations of a global audience and the momentum of a distributor that is reshaping the industry in its own image.