How to watch The Promised Land for free on BBC iPlayer
Our in-house cybersecurity experts and journalists, renowned for major reports like The Mother of All Breaches, conduct transparent, unbiased VPN testing and in-depth analysis.
With 750+ articles crafted based on real-world research, we empower readers to make informed purchasing decisions through first-hand expertise.
Learn more
Few films make an 18th-century moorland feel like a battlefield, but The Promised Land pulls it off. Mads Mikkelsen stars as Captain Ludvig Kahlen, a broke army veteran who rides into Denmark's Jutland heath in 1755 armed with a royal decree, a horse, and a near-impossible ambition: grow potatoes on barren land, tame what no one else could, and earn himself a noble title.
Director Nikolaj Arcel shapes that quiet dream into something closer to a Western – slow-burning, blood-streaked, and shot in bruised golds and greys. The film was Denmark's Oscar entry for the 96th Academy Awards, earned a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, and has drawn comparisons to There Will Be Blood and Gladiator.
UK viewers can watch it free on BBC iPlayer right now. One catch: iPlayer is restricted to UK IP addresses, so anyone abroad (travellers, expats, curious new fans) will need a VPN to access it. The film runs 2 hours 7 minutes, is rated 15, and plays in Danish with English subtitles, plus audio description and signed presentation.
Where to watch The Promised Land
Below is a complete overview of where to stream The Promised Land around the world.
| Country | Streaming Service | Price |
| United Kingdom | BBC iPlayer | Free |
| Australia | SBS On Demand / Apple TV | Free on SBS |
| United States | Magnolia Selects / Apple TV / Prime Video | From $4.99 rent / $14.99 buy |
| Canada | Apple TV / Prime Video | From CA$5.99 rent / CA$19.99 buy |
| Germany | MagentaTV / Amazon Prime Video | From EUR 3.99 rent |
| Denmark | TV 2 Play | From DKK 99/month |
| France | Canal+ / Apple TV | From EUR 3.99 rent |
| Netherlands | Pathé Thuis / Prime Video | From EUR 3.99 rent |
How to watch The Promised Land for free with a VPN
The deal is simple. The Promised Land sits in the BBC iPlayer film catalogue, free for anyone with a UK TV Licence. The stream is geo-restricted to UK IP addresses, though, so the moment you log in from Paris, New York, or a beach in Bali, iPlayer politely (or not so politely) shuts the door.
A VPN with British servers reopens it: route your connection through London, look like a UK viewer, and the film loads as if you were back on your home sofa. Our roundup of the best VPNs for streaming walks through the providers we have tested against iPlayer's geo-detection.
- Pick a VPN with UK servers. We recommend NordVPN for BBC iPlayer. It runs 7,200+ servers across 118 countries, with a deep pool of UK locations, the fast NordLynx protocol for smooth HD playback, and Smart DNS support for smart TVs that do not take VPN apps.
- Install the app on the device you will watch on. NordVPN runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Fire TV, and Android TV. Pick the screen you want and load the app there.
- Connect to a UK server. Choose London, Manchester, or any other UK city. If iPlayer shows a regional error, hop to a different UK server before retrying.
- Open bbc.co.uk/iplayer. Sign in to your free BBC account and confirm your TV Licence when prompted. The Promised Land sits in the Films section and turns up under the iPlayer search bar.
- Press play and settle in. Keep the VPN connected for the full two-hour-plus runtime. English subtitles are on by default for the Danish dialogue.
Best VPNs to watch The Promised Land
The VPNs below have been tested against BBC iPlayer and other geo-locked public broadcasters worldwide. They share three things: fast speeds, reliable unblocking, and stable HD playback for long-form films. These are our top three picks for streaming The Promised Land from anywhere.
- NordVPN – best overall VPN for streaming. NordVPN starts at $3.49/month and reliably unblocked BBC iPlayer during our tests. Fast streaming speeds, Smart DNS support, and the NordLynx protocol delivered stable HD playback without buffering, making it the strongest option for watching The Promised Land online. Read our full NordVPN review for more details.
- Surfshark – best budget-friendly VPN. Surfshark starts at $2.49/month and includes unlimited simultaneous connections, making it a good choice for larger households. Its WireGuard protocol delivered smooth HD streaming performance in our tests, with stable access to BBC iPlayer throughout a full feature-length stream. Low pricing and reliable streaming support make Surfshark a strong value option. See our full Surfshark review for the complete breakdown.
- Proton VPN – best VPN for privacy-focused streaming. Proton VPN starts at $2.99/month and operates from Switzerland, a country known for strong privacy protections. During testing, it provided stable speeds for BBC iPlayer streaming while maintaining solid security standards. Strong privacy tools, a verified no-logs policy, and a usable free plan make Proton VPN a good fit for viewers who want extra privacy while streaming. Our Proton VPN review covers the technical details in full.
How to watch The Promised Land on different devices
Accessing The Promised Land on iPlayer requires two things: a device that runs iPlayer, and a VPN running on it.
iPlayer has native apps on iOS, iPadOS, Android, Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Sky, Virgin TV, PlayStation, Xbox, and all modern browsers. The leading VPN providers – NordVPN, Surfshark, and Proton VPN – cover Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Fire TV, and Android TV, but not Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Roku, PlayStation, or Xbox.
The simplest setup is a desktop or mobile browser with an active VPN – no app installation, no region restrictions to navigate. Fire TV and Android TV are equally straightforward, with full native support for both. For devices that support neither, configuring the VPN at the router level or enabling Smart DNS will route your entire network through a UK IP address.
About The Promised Land
The Promised Land (Danish title Bastarden), meaning The Bastard – is a 2023 historical drama directed by Nikolaj Arcel. It's loosely based on Ida Jessen's 2020 novel The Captain and Ann Barbara, which itself drew on the true story of Ludvig Kahlen, a soldier who tried to cultivate the wild Jutland heath in the mid-18th century.
Mads Mikkelsen carries the film as Kahlen – quiet, calculating, and determined to claim the noble title he was denied at birth. Amanda Collin plays his closest ally, Simon Bennebjerg the brutal landowner who makes his life a misery, and Melina Hagberg a young Romani orphan caught between them. Arcel shoots the moorland in long, painterly takes, then cuts to bursts of sharp violence – less European arthouse, more classic Western.
The film premiered at Venice in 2023 and went on to represent Denmark at the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film, picking up a Critics' Choice nomination along the way. Reviews have reached for There Will Be Blood and Gladiator as comparisons. On iPlayer it runs 2 hours 7 minutes, carries a BBFC 15 certificate, and plays in Danish with English subtitles, audio description, and signed presentation available.
FAQ
When is The Promised Land on BBC iPlayer?
It is on demand right now on BBC iPlayer for free, after its scheduled BBC Four broadcast. The film sits in the iPlayer catalogue under the Films section for the standard iPlayer availability window.
Is The Promised Land really free to watch?
Yes, in the UK. BBC iPlayer streams the film free for anyone with a valid TV Licence and a free BBC account. Outside the UK it flips to paid: Apple TV, Prime Video, Magnolia Selects, MagentaTV, and Canal+ all charge a rental or purchase fee. Australia is the other free option, via SBS On Demand.
How do I watch The Promised Land on BBC iPlayer from abroad?
iPlayer is geo-restricted to UK IP addresses, so it blocks anyone signing in from outside the UK — even existing licence-fee payers on holiday. A VPN flips the script: connect to a UK server, iPlayer sees a domestic IP, and the film plays as if you were back home. Install NordVPN, choose a UK location, then open iPlayer in any browser or the iPlayer app. Our roundup of the best VPNs for streaming covers the providers that hold up best against iPlayer's geo-detection.
Who stars in The Promised Land?
Mads Mikkelsen leads as Captain Ludvig Kahlen, with Amanda Collin as Ann Barbara, Simon Bennebjerg as Frederik de Schinkel, Melina Hagberg as Anmai Mus, and Kristine Kujath Thorp as Edel Helene. Nikolaj Arcel directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Anders Thomas Jensen.
What language is The Promised Land in?
The film is in Danish, with English subtitles on the BBC iPlayer stream. Audio description and signed presentation are also available through iPlayer's accessibility settings.
How long is The Promised Land?
The film runs two hours and 7 minutes and is rated 15 by the BBFC for moderate violence and threat.
Is The Promised Land on Netflix?
No. The Promised Land is not on Netflix in the UK, US, Canada, or Australia at the moment. In the UK it is exclusive to BBC iPlayer for the free streaming window; elsewhere it is available as a digital rental or purchase on Apple TV, Prime Video, and similar platforms.
