As the two live a very poor existence, Nello (Jesse James) and Jehaan make ends meet delivering milk to the nearby city of Antwerp, where they are welcomed and respected by the community.

Nello soon introduces Patrasche to his lifelong companion and artistic muse Aloise (Madylin Sweeten), daughter of the local mill owner Nicholas Cogez (Steven Hartley).

Nello gains a mentor when he meets artist Michel La Grande (Jon Voight) by the statue of Peter Paul Rubens outside the Cathedral of Our Lady.

After defending the boy against Patrasche's vagrant first owner, Michel brings him into his study and begins his tutelage, though he leaves for business in Rome soon afterward.

As the years pass, Nello (Jeremy James Kissner) stays close with Aloise (Farren Monet Daniels).

Not long thereafter, Stephens accidentally burns down Nicholas' mill; visiting with the Cogez's servant Millie, he had been smoking a pipe in the nearby shed and fell asleep.

The next morning as the town inspects the damage, it is discovered that Nello had secretly visited Aloise the night before, to give her a birthday gift.

On Christmas Day, Nello eagerly awaits the results of the art contest to be announced by Michel, but he loses to Robert Kessler (Julien Bosman), son of the Mayor of Antwerp (Fred Van Kuyk).

Nello returns the wallet to the Cogez Mill and departs before Anna can offer him a meal, leaving Patrasche behind so that he might have a comfortable future.

Michel then enters, having seen the villagers running for the Cathedral, and presents Nello with the medal he won in a previous edition of the art contest.

But when that film is clogged with sticky-sweet pieties cooed to saucer-eyed tots, the product can be difficult to swallow... A Dog of Flanders is directed by Kevin Brodie in a style that might charitably be called "Christmas pageant cute".