Walk Don't Walk

Symphony of a big city: Manhattan's legs rush to work, to breaks, to leisure activities, to church – or run marathons. Thomas Struck's camera follows them at foot level. Each foot has its own rhythm, which clarinetist Don Byron transforms into jazz. But sometimes a step goes too far. Sex editor Dian Hanson explains how and why. Made before 9/11, the film is a reencounter with a light-footed, tireless city. WALK DON'T WALK is a documentary film by Thomas Struck about Manhattan from a frog's-eye view. Shot in 2001 with a digital camera at foot level, the film shows only legs and feet—anonymous, but eloquent. Accompanied by jazz from clarinetist Don Byron and commentary by Sex journalist Dian Hanson, the result is a portrait of a big city that transforms everyday movement into an aesthetic composition. The camera becomes an observer of a choreographed everyday life that is both private and collective. The film has been shown at international festivals such as the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the Hofer Filmtage, the Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, and the Brisbane International Film Festival. In 2025, WALK DON'T WALK will return to theaters—as a snapshot of a time before 9/11 and as a declaration of love to New York as it was.