A lost homeland is the focus of one of DOC NYC‘s most acclaimed premieres, Emily Mkrtichian’s “There Was, There Was Not.”
The ethnically Armenian Republic of Artsakh was dissolved at the beginning of 2024 after Azerbaijan’s defeat of the Nagorno-Karabakh territory last year, making Mkrtichian’s years-in-the-making project especially timely and emotionally resonant. Here, Mkrtichian crafts an intimate portrait centered on four Armenian women caught in the lead-up to and aftermath of Azerbaijan’s unexpected invasion of the former state.
The film premieres at the documentary film festival on Monday, November 18. Watch the trailer, an IndieWire exclusive, below.
Here’s the synopsis, courtesy of the film’s press notes: “Emily Mkrtichian initially set out to make a film about the daily lives and hopes of women in Artsakh — an autonomous, disputed ethnically Armenian territory between Azerbaijan and Armenia with an enduring legacy of conflict. She followed a minesweeper, an aspiring politician, a women’s rights activist, and a judo champion as they navigated a precarious peace while building their lives and communities. In 2020, when Azerbaijan launched a surprise attack and war broke out again, Mkrtichian continued filming as shelling began around her, witnessing her subjects’ worlds and dreams immediately transform. The documentary evolved from an observational meditation on strength into an urgent portrayal of survival, capturing the personal and cultural impacts of a homeland at risk of loss, and the power of story to keep it alive.”
Filmmakers and festivalgoers, including Canadian director Atom Egoyan, have praised “There Was, There Was Not.” IndieWire singled out the film as one of the best entries of the True/False Film Festival earlier this year, with Susannah Gruder writing that the film “emphasizes bravery and resilience in the face of the war while also serving as a time capsule of their lost, beloved homeland.”
The film is produced by Brock Williams with Alexandria Bombach as editor and executive producer. Siranush Sargsyan, Svetlana Harutunyan, Gayane Hambardzumyan, and Sosè Balasanyan are the film’s main subjects.
“There Was, There Was Not” premieres at DOC NYC on Monday, November 18.
