The Inheritance

An animal rescuer becomes executor of her secret father's estate, and revenge is hers to distribute.

Hanne Cockx runs a wild animal sanctuary and seems to be the woman who's always there for others. But as a child she couldn't save her unstable mother from their burning house. It left her with severe burns and a secret: her father is Johan Bakker, the wealthy psychiatrist who treated her mother, but never acknowledged her.

When Johan dies, his lonely partner Greta inherits everything, enraging his children Jolande and Frank-Jan. Hanne feeds Greta's fear, persuades her to leave it all to the sanctuary, then lets her drown. As executor of the will, she works her way into the family that owes her a childhood, and destroys it from within.

Producers' note

The Inheritance is a universal psychological thriller set against the tense world of animal welfare and hunting. Located in the breathtaking nature of Limburg's Hoge Kempen National Park, the setting elevates the narrative with a unique and highly cinematic visual language. Drawing directly from her own personal experience, co-creator Alexandra Jans gives the story an authentic and personal core. With Creative Europe support and VTM (DPG Media) as the commissioning broadcaster, we seek co-producers, additional broadcasters and international distributors, with strong potential for international casting and a cross-border shoot. The pilot and treatment are ready for the next stage of financing.

Screenwriters' note

For many years I have worked at a non-profit, in the world of volunteers, idealists and selfless donors. In my job I am responsible for legacies, answering questions from people who are considering including a charity in their will.

A year and a half ago, a seemingly simple phone call from a lonely woman evolved into a brief but intense relationship, in which a request for help gave way to a cry to be heard, and ultimately turned into near-daily stalking. The woman herself was entangled in the estate of her deceased partner and lived in constant fear of his children.

Distrust and paranoia took over and ended tragically in her suicide, after which she left her entire fortune to the non-profit I work for. In hindsight, I saw that her distrust had been unfounded, rooted instead in a combination of loneliness, grief and a responsibility too heavy to carry. In her desperate search for safety, she clung to me as a last anchor: a complete stranger she barely knew. A situation that also exposes an uncomfortable truth: how easily her vulnerability could have been exploited.

At the same time, I was a member of a hunting club for many years, where I worked as a beater with my hunting dog, part of a warm but closed world that constantly has to fight against its negative public image. These two arenas, hunting and the non-profit, together with the true story, formed the breeding ground for The Inheritance.