Ukrainian photographer Varvara Yampolets: Photography for me is a way of telling stories through images

Hugo Nicolau is a Portuguese actor, photojournalist, and musician who played the lead role in the profound social short film Avenue to Nowhere, directed by Jacob Migicovsky — a project that became deeply personal and significant for him. This year, Hugo also appeared as a Maître D’ in Johnny Depp’s second directorial film, Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, and attended three major premieres: the world premiere at the San Sebastián Film Festival, the UK premiere in London, and the North American premiere in Los Angeles. Hugo’s creative journey began with music — from classical piano training to performing in successful rock bands such as Slave and Mary Me. Among all artistic disciplines, music has remained the one constant in his life. His path then led him from studying economics to the media field — specifically photojournalism, where he worked with a strong ethical focus on respecting personal boundaries and developed a sharp eye for detail. Photography became Hugo’s second great love and an essential foundation for his artistic sensitivity. Acting entered his life unexpectedly in 2001 and has remained with him ever since, gradually becoming a central part of his creative identity. All the disciplines he has been involved in have shaped and enriched his work as an actor, helping him bring his characters to life on screen. About the role of music in his life, his work as a photojournalist for the Portuguese newspaper O Comércio do Porto, and his approach to choosing roles, Hugo opens up in conversation with Asya Radko, founder of Drive Music Media.

Anastasiia Sysenko is a Ukrainian composer, the author of Hana no Rei and a co-author of Mine in collaboration with Alisa Balaieva. For Anastasiia, music is прежде за все energy rather than its technical side — notes or instruments. This year, she gave her first solo concert at the Solomiya Krushelnytska Museum, where she performed both original compositions set to the poetry of prominent Ukrainian writers and experimental works, including A-ff-air. In this interview, Anastasiia opens up with Drive Music Media her experience of her first authorial concert and the meanings embedded in her new works.

Kyrylo Teslenko is a Ukrainian writer for whom russia’s war against Ukraine became the turning point that pushed him to fully pursue his literary path. Kyrylo had been writing since childhood, but his first truly serious work became his novel Island. The author didn’t want to portray people with superhuman abilities – on the contrary, his characters are ordinary individuals who, as part of a competition, find themselves on an island where only one of them can win the prize and survive according to the rules. Kyrylo opened up with Drive Music Media about the beginning of his writing journey, the first presentation of his book, and the deeper meanings he wove into his story.

Anika Boyle is a Polish-Scottish, award-winning actress and the star of the film Day Drinker, where she plays the lead child role alongside Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz. She also stars in the series Summerwater, marking her television debut which premiered on Channel 4 on November 16. The series is an adaptation of the novel by Sarah Moss, directed by Robert McKillop and Fiona Walton. The script were written by John Donnely. The ensemble cast includes Dougray Scott, Shirley Henderson, Valene Kane, Arnas Fedaravičius, Anna Próchniak, and Daniel Rigby. Anika remains true to herself and, just like during her first in-depth interview with Drive Music Media, continues to choose roles that contrast strongly with who she is in real life. Violeta Zaliskeviciute-Piotrowska – her character in Summerwater – shares only two things with Anika: her mixed Polish-Scottish background and a certain observant nature. In everything else, they are complete opposites. Anika is an extrovert in real life, while Violetta is deeply introverted. These are exactly the kinds of roles Anika is drawn to – layered, complex, and far from her own personality. The series carries a tense atmosphere that grows heavier with each episode. Every character harbors their own fears and secrets, which inevitably shapes the environment around them. In her second interview with Drive Music Media, Anika opened up about the fire scene, the process of seeing herself through the lens of her characters, the influence of the Scottish setting on the production, and what her first-ever television appearance meant to her.

YAN LIENSHYN is a Ukrainian photographer and cinematographer whose worldview – and artistic vision – was profoundly reshaped by the ongoing russian-Ukrainian war, now lasting more than eleven years. His works have been published in international magazines such as MALVIE, STYLÉCRUZE USA, GMARO, Eclair, Darkly Art, Looplite, BOYS BOYS BOYS BOYS, Vigour, 6X, Spellbound, World Encounter, Beautica. According to the photographer, there is always something personal in his projects. He strives to intertwine aesthetic beauty with truth. Lienshyn continuously walks the line between extremes, merging beauty with chaos – as seen in his photo project “Jocker” – as well as pain with ascent, and other emotional dualities. Yan shared insights with Drive Music Media about the beginnings of his journey in photography, his artistic vision, and the impact the war has had on his creative identity.