ART DIRECTION
ZOE AKIHARY
Personal project
Role: Creative Director, producer, photographer & super8
Ballet is a dream shaped by discipline, an art form where perfection is not just the expectation but the performance itself. It reflects our love for effortlessness and the illusion that it’s easily achieved.
In her portrait, Daniela Thorne of Staatsballett Berlin reflects on her relationship with perfection—the expectations of the audience, the demands of her craft, and the pressures she places on herself. Yet through her movement and words, she claims her artistry, honors her mentorship, and embraces the beauty that defines her journey.
Every creative choice in Daniela’s portrait—from the blend of digital and Super 8 footage to the custom music, set design, and styling—reflects her inner world, her story, and a love for ballet that is as delicate as it is unyielding.
Talent: Daniela Thorne
Creative Director: Zoe Akihary
Director: Noam Kaestner
Producer: Zoe Akihary, Marius Hohrein
DOP: Amaya Benbow
Light: Gerrith Fahr
Editor: Marius Hohrein
Assistent editor: Cagla Polart
Styling: Sasha Tulen
Styling assistent: Margarita Zaytenseva
Set Design: Nora Rida Gustaffson
Set assistent: Liam Raeder
Custom music: Kody Chambers
Music mix: Miklos Covacs
Sound design: Alexander Dick
Sound: Liam Raeder
Hair: Alina Tupalova
Colour grading: Florian Metzner
Online: Tommy Lee John, Catherine Weber