06/05 (2004)

Directed by: Theo van Gogh | 117 minutes | drama, thriller | Actors: Tara Elders, Thijs Römer, Caro Lenssen, Marcel Hensema, Johnny de Mol, Jack Wouterse, Cahit Ölmez, Gijs Naber, Marlies Heuer. Georgina Verbaan, Ariane Schluter, Tooske Breugem, Peer Mascini, Marijke Veugelers, Reinout Bussemaker

’06/05′ is already a loaded film in advance: the murder of Pim Fortuyn in 2001 is depicted by a director who himself will be murdered in 2004. You might think that this work is therefore already praised in heaven in advance, because this was Theo van Gogh’s last film. But extenuating circumstances are not necessary in this case: ’06/05′ is a good Dutch thriller with a strong story, constructive and continuous tension, the necessary humor that makes it possible to put things into perspective and a good cast that comes across as believable. Apart from the exciting story, the way in which Van Gogh has portrayed it is sublime. The way he works with camera angles in particular is intriguing. That way, ’06/05′ will keep your attention every minute. Van Gogh, in collaboration with writer Thomas Ross, has created one hell of a film that deserves to be sold worldwide.

’06/05′ is an adaptation of Tomas Ross’ book ‘The Sixth of May’, in which facts and fiction about the murder of Pim Fortuyn are mixed. It is based on a conspiracy theory by the government. In the film, Van Gogh links the murder of Fortuyn to a conspiracy by the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) to silence the politician. Because Fortuyn was against the purchase of JSF fighters, it was necessary to exchange him for someone who was in favor of the very expensive purchase, namely Mat Herben.

At the time, so many images of Pim Fortuyn were made that Van Gogh chose to mix these images with fiction. Any actor who would have played Fortuyn would have been fake, a caricature. The same goes for a lot of politicians who appear in the film. These don’t fare too well. “This is not just the right, this is the extreme right,” Rösenmoller says. “Behind this is Anne Frank’s house,” Thom de Graaf raves about the suffering of his ancestors. “You are an inferior person,” scolds Marcel van Dam. They are painful images that give the fictional story of 06/05 an extra charge. You regularly sit with the hairs on the neck looking up and feel that fear of the murder of Fortuyn again. Cynically enough, you also feel that fear of the murder of Van Gogh himself…

In this film, Van Gogh has made use of every imaginable cliché in the crime world: wiretapping, threats and beatings, pursuits, dark meetings between bigwigs… But nevertheless, this conspiracy theory makes you think. There’s so much going on around us that we don’t know about, so why couldn’t this theory be right?