Check out this week’s Doc of the Week “Legs of Amsterdam” (“De Benen van Amsterdam”) by filmmaker Wytse Koetse. This short documentary, just over 12 minutes long, captures the busy life inside a 90-year-old bike shop in Amsterdam’s Jordaan district run by Frans van der Meer. As the synopsis states, “Frans not only knows his trade, but also harbours a piece of old Amsterdam, where the city is like a village, where neighbours are like family, and bicycles are like legs.” Koetse’s cinematography is superb. The variety of scenes he captures, from up-close action shots of Frans’ repair work to scenic views of the busy cycling neighborhood, are highly engaging giving the viewer an almost 360 degree experience of what it’s like to be both inside and outside of the fast-paced bicycle shop. It also can’t be understated just how fantastic the scenes are of the activity of visitors coming to see Frans with their bicycles in various states of disrepair. I loved watching the interactions that Frans has with his customers and their appreciation for him and his work. The shop and this film are tremendous in spirit.
Watch “Legs of Amsterdam” for yourself below.
