In a remote Armenian village where female fetuses rarely survive to birth due to sex-selective abortions, a young pregnant mother awaits a crucial ultrasound that will determine both her and her unborn child’s future.

In a small Armenian village where ancient traditions meet with modern medical technology, “ASHKHEN” – a young mother of two boys – is struggling with a deeply rooted cultural crisis. As she approaches her twelfth week of pregnancy, the whole village is awaiting the results of the ultrasound imaging that will soon reveal the gender of her unborn
child. With her husband working in Russia like many men in villages do, Ashkhen goes through this pivotal time alone. The neighbors and relatives are employing folk traditions to predict her baby’s sex – studying her gait, the shape of her belly, counting months according to ancient methods. At the first glance seemingly innocent customs are the result of a heavy truth: the village’s alarming gender imbalance is already visible in the local school, where boys far outnumber girls. As we follow Ashkhen through her daily life, doctor’s visits, and interactions with the community, the film reveals parallel narratives of other village women.
These mothers, presenting different generations, carry their own similar stories but with different endings. Their experiences, some haunted by past decisions, others marked by a resistance, paint a good portrait of a deeply rooted problem and its outcome. Through Ashkhen’s intimate journey, the documentary explores not just one woman’s story, but the wider implications of a society where girl children don’t get to live.