“THIEVES OF THE WOODS”

"Flanders, 1747 AD. Bad versus worse. A story about survival in its purest form fueled by betrayal and distrust on every level…"

The series is loosely based on the renowned novel of the same title by Louis Paul Boon, one of Flanders’ most celebrated authors. The story unfolds in 18th-century Flanders during the Austrian War.

Jan, a former soldier, returns home as a fugitive, accused of desertion and murder. Escaping captivity, he makes his way back to his birthplace, only to find a harsh, divided world with no real distinction between good and evil—only degrees of despair. In the woods, outlaws scrape by in lawless lives, while the so-called “good” people of the nearby town cling to their status and power. Jan is a dreamer who wants nothing more than to escape to America, the promised land of equality. Yet, he has a message to deliver about the mysterious death of a soldier, which binds him to this bleak place longer than he intended.

Moved by the stark injustices he witnesses, Jan inspires the outlaws to band together and fight back against their fates. They pull off a daring heist on a stagecoach, and Jan—reluctantly—becomes a hero. Despite this victory, Jan is too practical to believe in any real change. Betrayal and mistrust continue to fester even after their success, and he has no intention of playing the part of a Robin Hood figure. However, Jan’s steadfast dream of a better life brings a glimmer of hope to this dark world and the people who struggle within it.

now on netflix

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