Thieves of the Wood (2020)

In the tumultuous year of 1747, haunted by the atrocities of the Silesian front, Jan, a dispirited mercenary, deserts the Austrian army. Worn-out and penniless, he finds his way back to his homeland, Aalst, in the Flemish region. However, the once-familiar landscape is now an unfamiliar French encampment, his loved ones exiled, and his village transformed beyond recognition. In the depth of the Kluisbossen forest, Jan finds the outlawed remnants of his past, now a ragtag band of thieves led by his half-brother Tincke. In a land ground down by poverty and oppression, the bounty is meagre, and the spoils are few. A shift in perspective comes when Jan, stirred by the relentless suffering, convinces Tincke to target the true repositories of wealth: the affluent and the collaborators aligned with the French. With the successful raid of a stagecoach, the motley crew of rogues morphs into a formidable gang. Their decision to share their loot with the destitute earns them popularity, and their defiant motto, "Voor gene chanterik peu" (not afraid of anyone), echoes across the land, igniting a spark of rebellion. The authorities, alerted and alarmed, declare war on Jan and his gang. Baru, an ambitious city guard, tirelessly works his way into the gang, ultimately capturing Jan. However, Jan's incarceration only fuels his growing legend. A thirst for vengeance sweeps through the gang, igniting a war that spirals into a full-blown revolution. Jan de Lichte, the deserting mercenary, transforms into a mythical folk hero, a beacon of hope even after his public execution. Some whisper he still lives, his legacy inspiring a rebellion against a regime that's endured a thousand years. Can this be true? Could Jan's example be the catalyst to overturn the Ancien Regime?

Thieves of the Wood is an action show featuring Matteo Simoni and created by Maarten Moerkerke.

Thieves of the Wood is currently streaming on Netflix and Netflix basic with Ads.