The Bittersweet Life (ENG Edition)

Between 2018 and 2024, documentary photographer and filmmaker Paul van der Stap made numerous trips to Transnistria, a difficult-to-access, unrecognised mini-state wedged between Moldova and Ukraine. What began as curiosity about a forgotten corner of Europe, evolved into a years-long quest for the soul of a country sandwiched between East and West. He photographed, observed, and spoke to the people while he was working under the radar of the authoritarian regime.

What has 35 years of independence brought to the Transnistrians in the post-Soviet era? What does freedom mean to them? The war in Ukraine has led Transnistria to a turning point, culminating in the gas crisis of winter 2024-2025. Whether the country's future lies in the East or the West, has become a more pressing and exciting question than ever.

In a unique combination of poignant documentary photography and thrilling literary non-fiction, Paul van der Stap makes the harsh reality of life in Transnistria visible and tangible.

This Bittersweet Life is more than just a book: it’s a testimony to a hidden world and the daily lives of individuals living under an autocracy.