This video essay is a quiet walk through Amsterdam during the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic when a city defined by movement was held in stillness.

Shot entirely on a phone and shaped in isolation, the film is an act of observation rather than commentary. Wide compositions explore space during social distancing, while a choir fills the silence where crowds once were.

Alongside the film I shot a series of 35mm stills to support the project, which I made as a personal, cathartic exercise in collaboration with Radical Media. The work was picked up by local news outlets and Shots Magazine.

Cover page of a news article titled 'Portrait of a Place: Amsterdam by Quentin van den Bossche,' featuring a black and white photograph of a canal in Amsterdam with trees, buildings, and a bridge.
A black-and-white photo of a canal lined with parked boats covered with tarps on both sides, flanked by tall, leafless trees and historic buildings, with a church steeple visible in the background.
Highlighted text describing a documentary film about life in Amsterdam during a global pandemic, filmed on an iPhone, directed by Quentin van den Bossche, and emphasizing its style and social impact.
Black and white photo of a city park with trees, buildings, and bicycles in the background, sunlight filtering through the branches.
Black and white photo of a canal lined with trees and buildings, with a bird flying in the sky and a small houseboat docked on the canal.
Black and white photo of a large church with a tall steeple, multiple arched windows, intricate architectural details, and a clock on the tower, surrounded by leafless trees and bicycle racks in the foreground.
Black and white photo of a tree branch silhouetted against a foggy night sky, with a lamppost and a person walking on a bridge or walkway in the background.
A black-and-white photograph of a city street at night, showing tram tracks running down the center, with buildings on either side. Streetlights illuminate the scene, and there are a few pedestrians, bicycles, parked cars, and traffic signs visible.
A black and white photo of a city square with historic buildings, tree-lined streets, and a tall clock tower in the background. People are walking and sitting at outdoor tables.
A person sitting on a bench by the water, near a walkway with a metal fence, on a calm harbor or lake.