Zifan Zhang finalist at Vilnius Photo Circle

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Zifan Zhang‘s project “Lost and Found” has been selected as one of three finalists among nearly 50 submissions for the Highlight Award at Vilnius Photo Circle.

Leon Basov, 29, showers with water from a half-cut plastic bottle on Feb 17, 2025. In early 2025, a halt in Russian gas transit via Ukraine led to a severe energy crisis in Transnistria, cutting off heating and hot water. While Moldova stepped in with temporary gas supplies, the long-term solution for stable and affordable energy access remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions about commercialising gas deliveries and Russia’s future role. Photo: Zifan Zhang from the project Lost and Found.

Lost and Found
As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, Transnistria—bordered by Moldova and Ukraine—faces deepening isolation. Politically unrecognised and reliant on Russia, it struggles with a worsening energy crisis happening at the beginning of 2025. Many young people hope to leave, but options are few. Caught between identity struggles, propaganda, and the threat of conflict, they grow up in a land suspended between a fading past and an uncertain future.

A ‘Back to Soviet Union’ sign is displayed in the window of a theme cafe in Tiraspol on February 16, 2025. The sign reflects the region’s continued embrace of Soviet-era imagery. Photo: Zifan Zhang from the project Lost and Found.
A young man eats at “USSR Stolovaya,” a Soviet-style canteen in Tiraspol, on February 21, 2025. The canteen features decorations and elements from the Soviet era, including newspapers on the walls. Photo: Zifan Zhang from the project Lost and Found.
Cottage-style houses in the Tiraspol area. These homes often serve as preservation spaces, gathering spots for friends to share a drink, or even coops for keeping chickens together. February 18, 2025. Photo: Zifan Zhang from the project Lost and Found.
Maxim (left), Vasily (middle), and Maxim (right), all 16, ride a marshrutka (minibus) to the village of Chitcani on February 18, 2025. The three are first-year college students in Tiraspol, the capital of Transnistria. Photo: Zifan Zhang from the project Lost and Found.

Zifan Zhang produced the story as his final project during the Photojournalistic Method workshop with Mads Greve during Photo 1 in the spring 2025. Zifan, who is also selected for the 2025 Eddie Adams Workshop, will continue his study at Photo 2 at DMJX this fall 2025. Zifan’s one year study at DMJX is supported by the ECCA Family Foundation.

Vilnius Photo Circle is 17-years old Lithuanian Photo Festival with a global reach. The Festival takes place September 26 to 28, 2025 in Vilnius, where there will be talks and the finalists’ stories will be exhibited. There are three categories for the festival competition; The main VILNIUS PHOTO CIRCLE AWARD, where five photographers have been nominated. The HIGHLIGHT AWARD for young talents under 30 years of age and LIETUVA dedicated to photo projects that tell stories about Lithuania.