
Jan Vanderheyden
Directing
Biography
Jan Vanderheyden (1890–1961) was a Belgian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was born on 10 October 1890 in Antwerp and died there on 27 March 1961. From the 1920s to the 1960s, he played a crucial role in the development of Flemish cinema, especially through his production company Jan Vanderheyden-Film, which helped establish one of the first consistent film production circuits in Flanders. He became known for his popular Flemish comedies and folk films, often created in collaboration with Edith Kiel, who contributed significantly as writer, co‑director, and editor—though she often remained uncredited in public. His breakthrough came with De Witte (1934), the first major Flemish sound film, which achieved enormous commercial success and established his name in Belgian film history.
Known For

A good bourgeois couple have adopted Monneke, a country boy. Maybe they should not have as their peaceful life is turned upside down by the antics of the little rascal.
A Nice Case
Short wartime comedy in which mister Dingemans and madam Babbel are trying to do some clandestine business in Brussels.
Mister Dingemans and madam Babbel are having fun in Brussels

Steven Martens wants to establish himself as the village doctor. His cousin Boone, a cunning farmer, manages to persuade Steven to act as a "miracle doctor." This earns him an extensive clientele. Steven refuses to marry Marietje, the mayor's daughter. This prompts the angry village potentate to launch an investigation into Steven's qualifications. The young doctor is, of course, cleared of any wrongdoing, but the villagers feel betrayed and stop visiting him.
De wonderdoktoor

The first movie version, from the age of black & white, of Flemish (heimat-)author Ernest Claes' classical novel, titled after the nickname (Dutch 'the White', referring to a blond male) of the main character: a smart but naughty farmhand's son whose eternal mischief, pranks and disobedience drive his elders (especially teachers, family and father's grumpy employer, a rich farmer) and classmates to despair in a time when a boy's punishment was still inevitable, swift and often severe.
Whitey

Four aspiring young artists live together in the same apartment: Monika wants to be an actress ; Sonny, her sister, studies at the Academy of Fine Arts ; Marina dreams of being a professional dancer ; and Lena hopes to be a singer. One day, Victor and Helena, Monika and Sonny's uncle and aunt, come to visit them unannounced. As they are conservative people, the four friends do their best to hide their free lifestyles from them. On the other hand, the girls realize that it is now or never for them and one by one they end up landing the long hoped-for assignments. But, sentimentally, Monika is not happy. She does not care for her rich fiancé. The one she would like to share her life is a mere garage mechanic...
Good Luck, Monique!

A local brass band rehearses for a music competition in Bruges. They are confident that a new march by a young music teacher will get them the first prize. Their chance of winning seems to get an awful lot smaller when a a fight breaks out between the chairman and the music teacher -- urging the latter to sell the march to another band.
Uilenspiegel Still Lives

Three reporters are being fired by their old fashioned editor after a compromising photo of them appeared in some newspapers.
Drie flinke kerels

Meldodrama/folk comedy about a lower class guy who falls in love with the daughter of the lord of the castle ... .
Met den helm geboren

Sequel to the hugely popular folk comedy Janssens versus Peeters.
Janssens en Peeters dikke vrienden

Frits and Jef are mates on a ship and have been friends for long. Frits, who is the steward, is also engaged to Jef's sister Marieke. When the two men disembark in Antwerp, their birth town, Frits realizes to his shock that a drug runner has hidden his contraband in his baggage. He informs the police at once and starts his own investigation...
Music in the Harbour

There is a beautiful windmill near Winkelbroek. The miller is Wannes Coppens, someone who knows all the ways, but especially the detours, to achieve his goal. He is particularly proud of his son Antoon. He is a teacher, conductor of the brass band, painter... and has the reputation of being the biggest joker in Winkelbroek. Through Antoon's marriage to Louisa from the brewery, the miller hopes to regain possession of a piece of land. But the old brewer is unyielding. Wannes then takes a detour via the mayor.
Antoon, de flierefluiter

A musical comedy about a rich girl Jenny who falls in love with a a poor but beautiful singing hairdresser's assistant.
Alleen voor U

A popular comedy in which the daughter of baker Peeters is set to get married with the son of innkeeper Janssens but then the parents start to argue and are opposed to the marriage but the couple elopes.
Janssens versus Peeters

The well-behaved Prosper De Leeuw from Lier is a grocer and, in his spare time, a member of a choir called "Het Ruisende riet" (The Rustling Reeds). Both at meetings and rehearsals, he shows admirable dedication to the cause. The choir wins first prize in Antwerp. Everyone celebrates heartily in the café until Prosper breaks a valuable vase. He is thrown out and, without a penny in his pocket, he stumbles back to Lier. On top of that, he contracts severe pneumonia. The whole town is shocked because Prosper De Leeuw is suddenly on his deathbed. Prosper confesses everything to his wife.
Een Engel Van Een Man

Liliane Springer, the daughter of Antwerpen office manager, has fallen in love with a football player, Raymond Smet. The trouble is that he is the star player of the Green team whereas her father is dedicated supporter of the White football team. Will love be stronger than sectarianism?