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