The Wild City (2018)

Directed by: Mark Verkerk | 85 minutes | documentary

You probably do not immediately associate a busy and bustling city like Amsterdam with nature and a rich animal world. However, the stately canal houses, monumental buildings, busy metros and futuristic corporate offices are only one side of our capital. In addition to the outward appearance of a man-made concrete jungle, Amsterdam also has another, more hidden and green dimension. If you look closely, you will see that the city is also surprisingly rich in wild nature. There are also various animal and plant species that, in the wake of humans, have adapted well to urban life. For these opportunists, our brick streets, tunnels, waterways and buildings are just as suitable and attractive as a primeval forest or other classic nature reserve. In fact, in cities such as Amsterdam the biodiversity is currently much higher than in large parts of the farmland dominated by large-scale agriculture and ecological degradation. For example, Amsterdam has more trees and flowers than many rural areas, a fact that, for example, bees and squirrels gratefully benefit from.

‘The Wild City’ is a fascinating journey of discovery through natural Amsterdam. Our guide is the famous movie hangover Abatutu, who also appeared in the film ‘Wiplala’ and the television series ‘Doctor Tinus’. Voice-over Martijn Fischer provides the cat with a genuine Mokum accent, which makes the animal come across as a purebred Amsterdammer. Through the eyes of Abatutu, who strolls through the city, we become acquainted with the richly varied animal and plant world that Amsterdam is home to. The blue herons eagerly snacking on the fish remains left behind by the market vendor, the dog-cheeky gulls that take advantage of every opportunity and snatch the food from the hands of inattentive passers-by or the rats that lavishly drink on pizza leftovers dumped on the street or fries covered with ketchup ; they are fine examples of feathered and hairy opportunists who always find a well-set table in the city.

But spectacular species such as the red fox and the extremely fast and agile peregrine falcon (whose preference for pigeons as a staple food in Amsterdam comes in handy) are now also thriving in our capital. Even the mountain of human litter usually does not go unused. After all, the inventive coot knows how to build a nest that is as unsightly as it is useful with the necessary creativity. ‘The wild city’ has also made room for now established aliens such as the ring-necked parakeet, Egyptian goose and American crayfish, as well as for notorious night owls such as hedgehogs, water-migrating toads and bats.

‘The Wild City’ comes from the same makers as the successful nature films ‘The New Wilderness’ and ‘Holland-Nature in the Delta’. You can also see that, because there is little to compromise on the quality of the footage. The film links (partly) staged passages with authentic images in order to bring urban nature to life in all its facets. The nice thing is that most of the shooting is done from the point of view of the animals, so that you are really immersed in their world. ‘The Wild City’ regularly takes the form of a mosaic film. This means that, based on one or more animals, different stories play out that at times touch each other directly or casually. People also visit regularly, for example in the form of typical Amsterdam street events such as King’s Day and Gay Pride. Certain scenes, such as the moving lines of people passing through the check-in gates on their way to the train or metro, are displayed at a faster rate. It’s a nice way to illustrate the contrast between the hectic pace of the human world and the much calmer pace of life that most of the other residents of the capital maintain.

The center of Amsterdam forms the backdrop for the lion’s share of the film, but trips are also made to places such as the harbor area, IJburg and the Zuidas. The commentary of the talking tomcat sometimes seems a bit childish and playful, but that is not so strange when you consider that the film is intended for a wide audience – also in terms of age. Whether the staged fragments are really your thing is largely a personal matter, but that approach ultimately produces fun and at times spectacular television. The cinematic whole is punctuated with a varied soundtrack, which includes songs by Spinvis, The Kik, Thomas Azier and Manke Nelis, among others.

‘The Wild City’ is a versatile film that taps into an almost inexhaustible source of interactions between humans and animals and animals themselves. Eating and being eaten, love affairs or the new life that is continuously emerging in all corners of the city, it is all covered. There is also a good chance that after watching this quality documentary you will see Amsterdam with completely different, more conscious and sharper eyes. In that respect, the Cruijff quote with which the film opens is striking: “You only see it when you realize it.”