06/05 (2004)

A fictional version of the events that led to the assassination of the Dutch politician Pim Fortuyn on May 6, 2002.

Director:

Theo van Gogh

Writers:

Theo van Gogh (dialogue), Tomas Ross (dialogue & scenario)

Stars:

Thijs Römer, Tara Elders, Cahit Ölmez

3 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thijs Römer	...	Jim de Booy
Tara Elders	...	Ayse Him
Cahit Ölmez	...	Erdogan Demir
Jack Wouterse	...	Van Dam
Johnny de Mol	...	Redacteur NRC, John
Caro Lenssen	...	Marije de Booy
Marcel Hensema	...	Wester
Gijs Naber	...	Wouter Heemskerk
Marlies Heuer	...	Thera
Georgina Verbaan	...	Birgit Maas
Ariane Schluter	...	Ex Jim
Tooske Breugem	...	Grondstewardess
Peer Mascini	...	Buurman
Marijke Veugelers	...	Buurvrouw
Reinout Bussemaker	...	Volkert van der G

Storyline

On May 6, 2002, Pim Fortuyn, a Dutch anti-immigration politician and leader of the opposition, is assassinated. Nearby, photojournalist Jim de Booy is taking pictures of a TV star; he notices odd things and people. Over the next few days, Jim uncovers a conspiracy behind the murder, a plot involving Dutch state security, defense contractors, and shadowy Americans. A key to understanding the plot may be a Turkish woman, Ayse Him, an animal-rights activist recently released from prison. Jim searches for her. State security soon knows of his investigation and that puts him and his 16-year old daughter Marije in danger. How many will die to keep Fortuyn's real killers secret?

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Plot Keywords:

politician | investigation | murder | archive footage | camera shot of feet | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Site [nl]

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch English

Release Date:

15 December 2004 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

06/05: The Sixth of May

Filming Locations:

's-Gravenhage, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

Box Office

Budget:

€2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Column Productions, Tiscali

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The title refers to the date Pim Fortuyn was shot and killed, 6 May 2002.

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Goofs

Jim's daughter is 16 years old and we are told that Jim was 17 when she was born, so Jim cannot be older than 32 or 33. But the APB on him (on the computer) states that Jim is 35.

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Connections

Referenced in 5 jaar later: Episode #1.2 (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Let me down easy"
Performed by Bettye Lavette

User Reviews

Entertaining dutch thriller

Well, I actually really liked it. Next to the tension this movie builds on, it has a very warm, very dutch, comforting seventies-based and natural feel to it. Despite of the actual storyline and the grim ideas behind it, I could understand where Theo was coming from when he wanted this to be made. Having lived the day when Pim Fortuyn got killed, and knowing the many unexplained details surrounding it, I think parts of the movie are terrifying in that they might very well be more true than most of us would like to believe. Just waving away the entire story as fiction somehow doesn't cut it for me. Knowing Theo Van Gogh quite well from local TV etcetera, I expected some hidden messages, telling us things beneath the surface of it all; They're not getting through to every viewer, but they're all over the place.

Theo shot this movie using the very fast 3-camera technique, giving it a documentary-like speed, which fits the writing. Some of the action scenes could have been done better (with a bigger budget perhaps), but aside from a few lesser moments (which didn't really bother me) the movie had me hooked, and the only thing I didn't like was that it ended. You know good guys can't always win, but you really want them to this time around. Even today, you'd like Pim and Theo to just re-appear on-screen like nothing had happened in our 'innocent' little country. It's hard to view the film not knowing the sickening story behind his killing, and it's even harder to notice how wrongfully he and Pim have been accused of being racist and right-wing extremists (or similar accusations). If anything, this movie is telling it like it is, and shows us how the exact opposite was true for both Pim and Theo.

The movie would have looked quite promising for Van Gogh, and still does for most of the actors in it. Theo was clearly getting better by the year, so it truly saddens me to see what could have been if he would still be alive. It's all been so silly, so stupid, so useless, and when you see this movie you want to snap out of reality, but you know you can't, because it is all so real...