Promotion of International Law through Film Launch

This event marks the public introduction of the Geneva-based association Promotion of International Law Through Film (PILF - filmforlaw.org), established to support the production, dissemination, and educational use of documentary films on international law.

The Association works in close collaboration with AdvocacyProductions, an independent documentary production company specialising in research-based films developed for structured educational use in universities, public institutions, and professional training contexts.

Featured Film

The Mandate – For Whom International Law Matters

Directed and produced by Stefan G. Ziegler

59 minutes | 2025

The Mandate examines how international law is understood, taught, and applied in contemporary institutional contexts. Drawing on extended research and interviews with former judges of the International Court of Justice, legal scholars, and practitioners, the film reflects on the relationship between legal institutions, public understanding, and responsibility.

The film has been developed explicitly for educational use and is integrated into university teaching, diplomatic training, and public institutional settings through structured licensing.

Discussion Focus

The screening will be followed by a moderated discussion focused on the educational use of documentary film in legal and diplomatic contexts.

Discussion will draw on:

• Recent institutional and university screenings in Central Asia

• Conducted in collaboration with Swiss Embassies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan

• The role of film in supporting legal literacy among students and early-career professionals

Recent discussions have taken place across universities, public institutions, and civil society settings, including work with OHCHR-affiliated partners and national human rights organisations.

About the Association

The Association supports long-term educational engagement with international law through documentary film.

Its work includes:

• Facilitating institutional access to documentary work

• Supporting curriculum use and pedagogical adaptation

• Coordinating partnerships with universities, embassies, and public institutions

A clear separation is maintained between film production and funding, dissemination, and licensing. This structure is intentional. It protects editorial independence, preserves institutional clarity, and sustains credibility over time.

Membership and Support

Membership supports the long-term availability and educational integration of documentary films on international law, including institutional licensing, curriculum use, and translation and adaptation for different learning contexts.

Support does not imply endorsement of specific viewpoints or institutional positions.

Participation

Engagement is framed around education, dialogue, and institutional collaboration. The event is not oriented toward campaigning or mobilisation, but toward supporting sustained understanding of international law within academic, professional, and institutional contexts.

Programme

18:00 – 18:15

Arrival and seating

18:15 – 18:30

Welcome and contextual introductions

– Host organisation

– Introduction to the Association and its educational remit

18:30 – 19:30

Film screening

19:30 – 20:00

Moderated discussion

From 20:00

Informal reception

Organisers

PILF - Promotion of International Law Through Film

Geneva, Switzerland