Belgian director to work on British series

Mr Matthys will be working alongside Irish screenwriter Taddeus O’Sullivan. He is the third Fleming to direct a British series in a short period of time.

 

Flemish directors have a good reputation in the UK. Jacob Verbruggen (known in Flanders from such series as Code 37 and Zuidflank) directed The Fall, and Tim Mielants (Cordon) ran recordings of The Tunnel. Now, Jan Matthys will be added to that list with the prestigious Shetland series.

 

In Flanders, Mr Matthys is known from television series like In Vlaamse Velden (In Flanders fields) and Quiz Me Quick. He also contributed to Aspe, Katarakt and De smaak van de Keyser (‘Taste of De Keyser’). At BBC One, Mr Matthys will be cooperating with Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Silent Witness, Amber, The Crimson Field).

 

The third season of the crime series Shetland will consist of six episodes revolving around Inspector Jimmy Perez. It will be shot entirely in Scotland. The first three episodes have already been recorded. Mr Matthys is now doing preparatory work in Glasgow and the Shetland Isles. He is getting ready to shoot the final three episodes of the season.

 

These are busy days for Jan Matthys. Apart from Shetland, he’s also working on his film debut with Vele Hemels (Many Heavens), a movie based on Flemish writer Griet Op de Beeck’s first novel Vele hemels boven de zevende (Many heavens beyond the seventh one). The film will be developed by production company Caviar.