“A deeply felt and beautifully made film.”

Atom Egoyan

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

LONDON, UK

November 7 - 13
Bertha Dochouse

Get Tickets

MARIN COUNTY, CA

Opens Nov 7 - 12
The Lark Cinema

Get Tickets

BOSTON, MA

November 7
West Newton Cinema

Get Tickets

HARTFORD, CT

November 8
Cinestudio

Get Tickets

SANTA FE, NM

November 21
Cinestudio

Tickets - Coming Soon

The first line of every Armenian fairy tale, There Was, There Was Not tells the collective myth of a homeland lost forever — and four women’s resistance to that loss.

PHILADELPHIA, PA

March 1, 2026
Bryn Mawr Film Institute

Tickets - Coming Soon

Black background award badge with white laurel leaves, text 'Official Selection', 'DOC NYC', and the year '2024'.
Text reading "Winner FIPRESCI International Critics Prize 2024" with a laurel wreath design on a black background.
Black and white laurel wreath logo with the words "Official Selection True/False Film Fest" in the center.
Black and white logo with laurel wreath and text for SXSW Screen London Festival 2025.
Award logo for 30th Mar del Plata International Film Festival, winner audience award, with a hand holding a film reel.

"A bold act of narrative resistance."

The Moveable Fest,
Stephen Saito

“Poetically constructed... Emphasizes bravery and resilience in the face of the war while also serving as a time capsule of their lost, beloved homeland.”

Indiewire,
Susannah Gruder

"An observational heart pounder that explores the acts of preservation, mourning, and displacement."

The Brooklyn Rail,
Edward Frumkin

There Was, There Was Not is a powerful tribute to a former country, and a frustrating illustration of a people’s dream turned nightmare.”

RogerEbert.com,
Robert Daniels

“Mkrtichian excels at revealing character as individuals. The women’s stories alert us to how fragile so many homelands continue to be."

Hyperallergic,  
Eileen G’Sell

"Stunning — almost otherworldly."

Redefine Magazine,
Saelyx Finna