The Abyss (French: L'Œuvre au noir) is a 1988 drama film directed by André Delvaux.

The strict Catholic King Philip II of Spain (1556-1598), restricted religious freedom and applied the decrees of the Council of Trent which strengthened the power of the Inquisition in Flanders.

During this turbulent period, the venerable writer and philosopher Zénon Ligre arrived in Bruges.

The doctor and alchemist Zénon Ligre returns to his country of origin Flanders using false documentation, after spending his life traveling around Europe.

Zénon‘s ideology and methods were very popular among the Flemish population, but they ran the risk of being condemned by the Inquisition because they deviated from official orthodoxy.