Submission - Part 1

Submission - Part 1
by Theo van Gogh and Ayaan Hirsi Ali


This film starts out in Dutch, then soon continues in English

From the BBC:

The murder of Dutch movie director Theo van Gogh in November 2004 came just two months after this highly controversial film, Submission - about the abuse of Muslim women - was shown on national TV in Holland.

Radical Islamist Mohammed Bouyeri, 27, has now been jailed for life for his murder after confessing to the killing, claiming he acted out of religious conviction.

Theo van Gogh's name was better-known around the world because he shared it with his great-great-grandfather, the brother of artist Vincent van Gogh.

But in the Dutch film community, he was a well-known figure and has been described as the Netherlands' Michael Moore.

Submission may have only been a 10-minute English-language short, but it caused uproar in his home country when it was broadcast at the end of August.

The outcry centred on the stories of four Muslim women who were beaten, raped and forced into marriage, and were asking for Allah's help.

It becomes apparent that their chadors and gowns are transparent and their half-naked bodies are visible through their dress.

On their bodies are written Koranic verses describing the permitted physical punishments for women who "misbehave".

The film was written by Somali-born Dutch member of parliament Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who has been a strong opponent of Islam's treatment of women.

Hirsi Ali has said she wanted to draw attention to the hidden violence against Muslim women, describing some practices as "savage Medieval customs", and show Muslims are the same as everyone when stripped bare.