Zeekr and Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi go headlights-only for new photo series ‘Spotlight’
Zeekr has partnered with acclaimed filmmaker and creative Taika Waititi to launch Spotlight, a new photographic collaboration inspired by the Zeekr 7X.
Featuring seven cinematic scenes illuminated solely by the vehicle’s headlights, the project showcases the creativity, innovation and design at the heart of Zeekr’s latest premium electric SUV.
Every image in Spotlight begins the same way: in the dark. The headlights of the Zeekr 7X are the sole source of light, illuminating seven entirely different scenes. The exhibition is built on the notion that the best ideas rarely announce themselves, but can arrive uninvited and unexpected.
In an era where AI can conjure almost anything, Waititi and his creative team built the detail of each scene. Using only the headlights of the Zeekr 7X as illumination, they transformed a single studio space into seven distinct cinematic worlds, each captured in-camera and brought to life through light, detail and imagination.
Across the seven images, Waititi’s world takes on a distinctly different shape each time, from an alien visitation, to a warehouse rave, a bodybuilder mid-pose, a table set for a feast, a red-carpet swarm, and two diners entirely unbothered by any of it.
The seven worlds of Waititi’s Spotlight:
• UFO – Off-world, electrified technology visits from the future and answers the question: are we alone, or on the cusp of discovering something more advanced than we thought possible?
• Caveman – A meeting between the primitive and the future, centred on the moment curiosity overcomes hesitation.
• Disco – Sometimes you need to destroy to build. Break something, make it better.
• Body Builder – 475 kilowatts of power that feels like playtime. Presence is felt, not just seen.
• Feast – An abundant table reflecting richness, detail with nothing has been held back.
• Paparazzi – Some things are worth every lens in the room. All eyes on the future, and the technology that drives us there.
• Sunburn – Two people who’ve seen enough to be unimpressed by noise, unbothered by hype.
For Waititi, having only the headlights of the Zeekr 7X to light each scene brought a unique take to the photographic process: “The best bit about these images is we composed each scene without much at all – the spotlight, the car and single frames. From an alien abduction, to inflatable bodybuilder companion, to sunburnt couple on the beach, it was all lit the same simple way. It forced me to be specific and single-minded about each scene.”
Says Frank Li, Managing Director, Zeekr Australia: “Just over a year since its launch in Australia, the award-winning Zeekr 7X has become an important model for the brand, recognised for its combination of design, technology and performance. Partnering with Taika Waititi allows us to tell that story in a fresh and unexpected way. Spotlight captures the innovation, confidence and creativity that define both the Zeekr 7X and the Zeekr brand, while connecting with Australians through one of the world’s most distinctive creative talents. It’s a collaboration that reflects our commitment to challenging convention and creating experiences that stand out.”
Created in New Zealand and debuting at Studio 230 in Ponsonby, Auckland, from 17 to 20 September 2026, Spotlight will be available to Australian audiences online from 21 September 2026 at www.zeekrbytaika.com.
The digital gallery allows visitors to explore all seven photographic works and discover the creative process behind Waititi’s collaboration with Zeekr.
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