Horishni Plavni, Ukraine, 2023: the world outside is shifting. War looms, threatening to take everything with it. But inside this flat, something endures: Serafima and Jevhen, who have shared 65 years side by side. Their world has grown smaller, shaped by quiet routines that bring a sense of safety. He drifts more and more through time. She stays steady—holding him, holding it all together—with the quiet strength of their lifelong bond.

This photo project tells the story of a love stronger than forgetting, of a home that still offers shelter even when sirens wail outside, of a shared past now slipping beyond reach.

“The love they gave each other, they gave to me too—their granddaughter. And when war takes away our sense of safety, and dementia takes our memories, the love stays. It’s what I carry with me, what they taught me, and what walks with me—through everything,” says the photographer.

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Sofia Samoylovawas born in Russia in 1990 and grew up in Ukraine and Germany. Her multicultural background gives her a particular sensitivity to the diversity of human experiences—a recurring theme in her projects. As both a photographer and filmmaker, she challenges established perspectives and engages with social issues through a creative lens. Her work brings together visual sensitivity and a strong sense of social responsibility, offering space to voices often left unheard.