There Was, There Was Not

Four women grapple with their national identity and role in the Republic of Artsakh on the brink of war.

Armenian tales often forgo the Westernised “once upon a time” to begin with “there was, there was not.” That is also the starting point of this illuminating doc about a country that lingers between two wars, home to four women who find themselves reckoning with their national past while looking for strength to fight for its future. From a local politician to a hopeful athlete, There Was, There Was Not piercingly looks at the role of women in life — and conflict — as another war erupts and the countrywomen must once again fight for survival.

Isra Al Kassi