There Was, There Was Not
Four women sustain intimate lives and shared resilience in Artsakh as the scars of one war meet the threat of another.
Overview
Four women navigate the complexities of life in a war-torn region, forging resilience amidst uncertainty.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- intimate
- melancholic
- foreboding
- reflective viewing
- arthouse documentary night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the documentary as an intimate and timely portrait of women living amid wartime uncertainty.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film follows four women—Siranush Sargsyan, Svetlana Harutunyan, Gayane Hambardzumyan, and Sosè Balasanyan—as they speak and live through Artsakh's uncertainty.
The Republic of Artsakh is explicitly presented as an unrecognized country reckoning with the aftermath of war.
The women live after one war while facing the prospect of another, making uncertainty a constant condition.
The four subjects build lives and forms of connection despite the instability surrounding their homes.
Films like There Was, There Was Not, and why
For Sama
Shares an intimate, woman-centered documentary perspective on life amid armed conflict, displacement, and political uncertainty.
The Distant Barking of Dogs
Shares observational realism, a focus on civilians in a conflict zone, and a restrained portrait of wartime precarity.
No Other Land
Shares contemporary political documentary filmmaking centered on ordinary people navigating contested land, identity, and ongoing violence.
Movie Details
- Director
- Emily Mkrtichian
- Release Date
- 2025-10-10
- Runtime
- 95 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (1)
Cast
- Siranush Sargsyan
- Svetlana Harutunyan
- Gayane Hambardzumyan
- Sosè Balasanyan
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is There Was, There Was Not about?
- Four women sustain intimate lives and shared resilience in Artsakh as the scars of one war meet the threat of another.
- What is There Was, There Was Not like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of There Was, There Was Not as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is There Was, There Was Not violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in There Was, There Was Not.
- What did critics think of There Was, There Was Not?
- Critics broadly regard the documentary as an intimate and timely portrait of women living amid wartime uncertainty.
- Which films are like There Was, There Was Not?
- Films with a similar feel include For Sama, The Distant Barking of Dogs, and No Other Land.
- How long is There Was, There Was Not?
- There Was, There Was Not runs 95 minutes.
- Where can I watch There Was, There Was Not?
- In United States, There Was, There Was Not is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Fandango At Home.
