Whitey

Louis Verheyden, an 11-year-old boy, endures a harsh family dynamic on a Sichem farm. His father is abusive and rarely home, while his mother is irritable and prone to complaints. He is bullied by his older brothers Nis and Heinke, shaping a pattern of fear and resentment that follows him.

Louis hates school, largely due to a cruel teacher who delights in punishing pupils. Corporal punishment is common, with kids cuffed or locked in the coal chamber. The harsh classroom environment foreshadows the violence that permeates Louis's world.

Louis is a mischievous schemer who frequently causes trouble around the farm and town. He gives others wrong directions, tries to haggle money from his brothers, and even ties people to chairs during church services. He steals smoking materials from Coene, advises his family to salt potatoes three times, and chases Coene's horses, inviting punishment each time.

Louis's latest misdeed ends with a humiliating punishment when he goes skinny dipping in the river Demer, despite his parents' prohibition. His mother arrives at the river, the hiding boy is uncovered, and his clothes are found by his mother. As a consequence, Louis must return home naked, a moment that deepens his shame and defiance.

Coene sends Louis to Averbode Abbey to deliver a package, exposing him to a different world beyond the farm. He is impressed by the abbey's beauty, Gregorian singing, and the garden full of flowers. The printing establishment within the abbey also captures his imagination.

During another punishment, Louis is locked in the cellar where he discovers books by Hendrik Conscience. He becomes fascinated by The Lion of Flanders and the Battle of the Golden Spurs. The tale inspires him to stage a pretend battle with his friends, not fully realizing the consequences.

Louis enthusiastically embodies Jan Breydel, leading his friends in a mock sword fight. The game attracts other children, and injured pupils rush home as the local priest and mothers arrive. Louis remains unaware that his play has escalated into a genuine confrontation.

Desperate for change, Louis's mother sends him and Heinke on a pilgrimage. They end up amid a street fight between police and socialist supporters and flee into a nearby pub. The pub appears owned by the socialists, provoking tensions and a clash of beliefs between Louis and Heinke.

Inside the pub, Heinke tries to impress the bartender by claiming he supports socialism, which Louis regards as blasphemy. Louis threatens to inform on Heinke's girlfriend Liza, escalating personal tensions. The episode highlights the clash between religious conviction and political awakening.

At the annual fair, Louis deceives his brother by claiming their mother promised 15 Belgian cents. He obtains extra pocket money, but his father discovers the deception and becomes furious. The consequence is that Louis must work for Coene to repay the money, or be sent to a community home.

Two dark events shake Louis: he attempts to drown himself in the river Demer, driven by despair over his life. Meanwhile, Liza ends her relationship with Heinke, complicating the social circle around the boy. The combination of despair and lost love leads to further trouble at the fair ground.

The last major event of the 1901 sequence sees a brawl erupt in the spiegeltent where the fair ball takes place. Louis's impulsive nature keeps dragging him into trouble, leaving his family to confront the consequences. The confrontation caps the 1901 chapter of his youth.

The film shifts to 1980, showing a blond student who resembles Louis working in the printing establishment at Averbode Abbey. The moment hints at the enduring influence of Louis's story as the student humbly toils. A minor mishap occurs when he drops a box, drawing a scolding from the boss.

Inside the dropped box lies the 117th reprint of the novel Whitey, suggesting a meta-commentary on the source material's endurance. The scene underlines how the past remains present through literature. It closes the cycle of Louis's story in a modern echo.