April 2023 – A Surprising Upswing

2023 began for me with a new job – and with a new feeling. I had inwardly digested the last shoot; it had cleared something up in me. Looking back, I actually came out of it stronger.

Then came something completely unexpected: I was asked to take part in a documentary film – more precisely: a documentary about me. Crazy. At first I couldn't believe it, but I thought to myself: as long as it doesn't cost me anything, I'm in.

The filming days were relaxed. Perhaps because the previous shoots had taught me to be open and honest with myself – and that's exactly how I was able to meet the filmmaker's questions. For me, all of this was a completely new world.

Part of the documentary was a photo shoot in Berlin. On a rooftop – overlooking the roofs of the city – I was photographed by Caro Gugu, who had already launched the project "dein körper ist genug" ("your body is enough"). For the first time, a shoot took place outdoors. I even did a few athletic moves there. Back then I called the shoot "Skin in Motion" – a title I no longer like today. It focuses too much on the exterior, on the skin – and falls short of expressing what this experience really did to me.

The film was produced in 2023 and broadcast on ZDF in August. At first, I was honestly a little shocked by my own openness. But then that faded – and I began to fall in love with the documentary.

It can still be found on YouTube today: Glück kennt kein Gewicht – documentary (ZDF, in German)