There Was, There Was Not
ABOUT THE PROJECT

LOGLINE
In a disputed territory between Armenia and Azerbaijan, a painter invites four women into her studio—a politician, an Olympic-hopeful athlete, a domestic violence activist, and a woman who disarms land mines for a living. Through intimate conversations, each woman shares their personal hardships, as well as their imaginations, desires and dreams for the future. As their stories unfold, the artist begins work on a series of transformative portraits.

SYNOPSIS
THERE WAS, THERE WAS NOT uses visual metaphor and transformative art to explore the female dreams and desires that persist in the face of war, trauma and inequality. The film explores the inner lives of four women living in Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed conflict zone between Armenia and Azerbaijan. We are invited into each woman’s world through the eyes and ears of Sarko, a young female painter who is painting their portraits. In their everyday lives, each woman does a job essential to rebuilding their war-torn home, and working towards peace and equality. But Sarko is interested in more than their work and daily struggles—in order to represent each woman as they see themselves, she is exploring their imaginations, desires, innermost thoughts and dreams.


PROJECT TYPE Documentary Feature

DIRECTOR Emily Mkrtichian
PRODUCER Emily Mkrtichian
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Mara Adina


The Film Collaborative (TFC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to providing programs and services for independent filmmakers. TFC’s federal tax ID number is 32-0295081. All donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Support a TFC Fiscal Sponsorship Project

Please help support this project with a tax deductible contribution. The “donate” button below will take you to PayPal, but a PayPal account is not required to make a donation. You can check out 2 ways:

  1. Use your PayPal account
  2. Check out as a guest by selecting “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card” (no PayPal account is required)

Transaction Fee

Please consider covering the PayPal transaction fee by selecting the “I’d like to add to my donation to help offset the cost of processing” box on the next page. This will ensure your intended full donation amount will be received for the project.

Alternate Donation Payment Methods

If you prefer to donate by check, Zelle, ACH, or wire transfer, please email us for instructions.

Stock Donations

TFC accepts stock donations. By donating stock that has appreciated for more than a year, you are giving 20% more than if you sold the stock and then made a cash donation, since you will not pay capital gains taxes on the donated stock. Learn more here.

Please email us for instructions to donate stock to a fiscally sponsored project.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Donations

A donor-advised fund, or DAF, is like a charitable investment account for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations. TFC accepts DAF donations and is on file with most major DAF companies. Provide your DAF TFC’s Tax ID: 32-0295081. If we are already on file with your DAF company, they will process the donation.

If TFC is not already on file with your DAF company, please email us for instructions.

Tax Receipts

In compliance with IRS rules, tax receipts for your charitable gift are issued for the amount The Film Collaborative receives after payment processor fees are deducted. The Film Collaborative emails tax receipts in PDF format within 30 days of your online donation. The “receipt” that is immediately sent to you from PayPal after you donate is just a payment receipt, not the tax receipt.

Matching Donations

Many companies have matching gift programs and can help you double your donation to a project of your choosing. Sometimes these programs will match a donation up to a year after it was originally made! Check with your employer—if they have a matching gift program, they will provide you with instructions.

End of Year Giving

November, December, and January are big giving months each year. Donors top up their annual giving in November and December. January is a new fiscal year, and some donors start their giving for the next fiscal year early. Some donors even give at the end of the year and again in January since these donations fall into different fiscal years.

Donors tend to make their large year-end donation decisions before the holidays start. In 2024, that means before December 20. TFC can accept donations by wire, ACH, and Zelle until 5:00pm Eastern Time on December 31. Online donations by credit or debit card can be made until 11:59pm Pacific Time on December 31.