06

Colour, 35 mm
Netherlands, 2004, 117 min
Section: Another View
Oficiální stránky: www.0605defilm.nl

Synopsis

The assassination of controversial Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn stirred up the otherwise calm waters of Dutch society. Filmmaker Theo van Gogh, the enfant terrible of Dutch culture, couldn’t pass this one by: he turned the story into a half-fictitious political thriller. It’s photographer Jim’s good luck to find himself near the scene of the assassination. Later, while looking at the photos he shot, he comes to the conclusion that there were far too many suspicious characters hanging around. Jim launches his own private investigation and gradually uncovers a sophisticated game of behind-the-scenes intrigue at the highest levels of the Dutch political scene. Soon enough, however, he’s doing everything he can merely to survive and to protect those he loves. The film skilfully combines authentic documentary footage with classic approaches to the political thriller to convey the story of a lonely journalist striving to uncover the truth as he stands against the powerful political machinery and the secret service. The cruel irony is that within a year of Fortuyn’s death, Theo van Gogh himself was murdered by an Islamic fundamentalist.

About the director

Theo van Gogh (b. 1957, Wassenaar, Netherlands-2004, Amsterdam) shot more than 13 feature films and numerous TV programs. He was a scathing and remorseless analyst and critic of Dutch society. His rich feature filmography includes Luger (1981), A Day at the Beach (Een dagje naar het strand, 1984), Charley (1986), Return to Oegstgeest (Terug naar Oegstgeest, 1987), Loos (1989), False Light (Vals licht, 1993), 1-900 (1994), Blind Date (1996), De pijnbank (1998), Baby Blue (2001), Interview (2003), Cool! (2004) and the posthumous 06/05, The Sixth of May (2004). Television work: Eva (1984), Hoe ik mijn moeder vermoordde (1996), In the Interests of the State (In het belang van de staat, 1997), Au! (1997), De nacht van Aalbers (2001), “Najib en Julia” (2002), “Medea” (2004).