Director's Works
Ashnikko, Trinkets Léa Esmaili
Léa is a mixed-media director, photographer, and artist based in Paris and London. Her crafted approach merges light, texture, and emotion to capture the essence of her subjects. Whether it's black and white one-shot sequences, roaring classical scores, 3D animation or 16mm set builds, Léa will employ every technique at her disposal to create films that are bold, authentic and thrilling.
In the music video for Ashnikko’s single Trinkets, French director Léa Esmaili - newly signed to Blinkink in London - brings a wildly imaginative and absurdist visual universe to life by leaning into her signature blend of multiplicity of techniques, physical props and maximalist design, drawing directly from Ashnikko’s lyrical references and album aesthetics to inform every creative choice. Esmaili’s treatment appealed to Ashnikko because of her willingness to push boundaries and embrace the bizarre, turning concepts like a “buck‑toothed” china‑doll persona and surreal shop interiors into fully realised screen moments by combining live‑action performance, stop‑motion manipulation of exaggerated features and glossy post effects developed with 3D artists. Her direction extends beyond visual whimsy to thoughtful world‑building - sourcing and integrating real trinkets (figurines, keychains, toys) from personal and artist collections to populate richly detailed sets, and inventing striking tableau ideas like the rocking‑horse gag with two muscular figures in caps that mash together humour, character and handcrafted design. Throughout, Esmaili orchestrates this eclectic mix with a bold vision that stays true to both Ashnikko’s creative universe and her own instinct for visual wit and inventive craft.
