Theo van Gogh

• Born 1957-07-23 · Died 2004-11-02

Born the great-nephew (brother of his grandfather) of painter Vincent van Gogh (1853-1890), he unsuccesfully tried to attend the Nederlandse Filmacademie. He then produced and funded his first movie, Luger (1982), himself. This set the basis for his success as a both popular and critically acclaimed film and documentary maker. He also became a notorious public figure, both through his controversial newspaper and magazine columns and his appearances on television. He was a strong advocate of free speech, deliberately insulting many to prove his points. In 2004 he directed the movie Submission, which tried to show the misogynistic side of Islam. At the end of the year, he was murdered in broad daylight by a young Muslim extremist.