Silent Embrace: Choreographing Resistance to Hostile Architecture in Amsterdam

Luuk Walschot's short film 'Silent Embrace' uses choreography to examine how hostile urban design in Amsterdam shapes body movement, behavior, and presence. Rather than explaining, the project physically interacts with benches, barriers, and fixtures that guide, limit, and redirect use. The city is treated as an active structure, with surfaces and objects as points of resistance. The film features performance and choreography by Charles Auguste, written and voiced by Anastasia Kruglyak, cinematography by Jasper de Kloet, and music by David Coehorst and Andrés Aracena. It was produced by Luc Hueber, edited by Nick Yumul, with styling by Nikki Vekemans, grade by Tim Smith, VFX by Olivier Bink and Pascal Wiemers, exhibited artwork by Ciro Duclos, and fashion brand Camiel Fortgens. The film was published on designboom.