Murdered Director's Film Shelved

The screening of a film by Theo van Gogh, the Dutch filmmaker murdered by an alleged Islamist extremist last November, has been called off amid fears of violence.

Organisers of the Rotterdam Film Festival had hoped to screen the film Submission, which criticises Islam's treatment of women, over the weekend. But they decided not to go ahead on the advice of the police after receiving threats. "The decision not to show Submission was made on the basis of security concerns," the film rights holder, Column Productions, said in a statement.

Written by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a member of the Dutch parliament who is under armed guard, the film uses words of the Koran written on women's bodies to denounce the oppression of women. The film brought protests when it was shown on television last August.

Other filmmakers were angered by the cancellation of the screening. "Theo van Gogh was murdered by a Muslim extremist because he directed a short film," said a statement printed by inter national filmmakers at the festival. "Freedom of expression is under threat."

The cancellation of the screening came amid reports that a Moroccan-Dutch painter has gone into hiding after an exhibition of his work opened on January 15 in Amsterdam. Rachid Ben Ali reportedly received death threats from groups who were angered by his work, which satirised Islamist militants.

Van Gogh was killed by an assailant who cut his throat and left a note threatening further attacks. Mohammed Bouyeri, 26, has been charged with the murder.