WHY THE SCREENING OF “THE MANDATE” SHOULD NOT BE MISSED AT THE GENEVA LAUNCH OF PILF
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On 1 July 2026, the Geneva launch of PILF, Promotion of International Law through Film, will feature the screening of “The Mandate: for whom international law matters”, a documentary by Stefan G. Ziegler that raises one of the most urgent questions facing the international legal order today: can international law remain meaningful when legal obligations are recognised, but political will to implement them is absent?
Justice pour Tous Internationale (JPTi) strongly supports this important initiative and is pleased to share the invitation with diplomatic missions, United Nations personnel, civil society organisations, lawyers, scholars, students, journalists, human rights defenders, educators, and all those concerned with the rule of law in the international order. The initiative is led by PILF, Film for Law, AdvocacyProductions Geneva, and Stefan G. Ziegler. JPTi is not the organiser of the event, but it considers this launch and screening to be highly relevant for the international community in Geneva and strongly encourages wide participation.
The official invitation flyer is available in PDF here:
The event will take place on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, from 18:00 to 20:00 at the Université Ouvrière de Genève, Place des Grottes 3, 1201 Genève, Switzerland, within walking distance of Gare Cornavin. The event coincides with the 62nd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, making it especially timely for those engaged in human rights, international law, diplomacy, accountability, and multilateral cooperation.
The programme will open at 18:00 with a welcome to PILF. At 18:15, participants will be invited to view the introductory short film “Conversations on International Law through Film”. At 18:25, “The Mandate: for whom international law matters” will be screened. The film is approximately 60 minutes long and was produced in 2025. A moderated discussion will follow at 19:25, and the evening will conclude with an apéro at 20:00.
PILF has been established to disseminate and strengthen international law, including the Geneva Conventions, through the medium of documentary film. At a time when legal norms are increasingly challenged, ignored, or selectively applied, initiatives of this kind are not only valuable, but necessary. International law must not remain confined to courtrooms, diplomatic negotiations, academic institutions, or specialist legal circles. It must be understood, defended, and carried forward by all generations of people committed to justice, peace, human dignity, multilateral cooperation, and the rule of law.
“The Mandate: for whom international law matters” explores the relevance, fragility, and enforcement gap of international law in today’s world. It asks who holds the mandate, meaning the right and responsibility, to act when international law is disregarded. Through rare reflections from judges of the International Court of Justice, legal experts, practitioners, civil society voices, and others, the film addresses the gap between legal principles, judicial findings, and political implementation.
One of the central examples explored in the film is the 2004 advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice concerning the separation wall or barrier in the occupied Palestinian territory. The film uses this example not as an isolated issue, but as a broader reflection on what happens when the international community recognises legal obligations but fails to ensure meaningful implementation. It therefore raises wider questions about the authority of international law, public responsibility, education, civil society engagement, and the consequences of allowing legal norms to lose practical force.
JPTi believes that this is precisely the kind of public legal education and civic reflection that is urgently needed. The crisis of international law is not only a crisis of institutions. It is also a crisis of public understanding, political courage, and collective responsibility. Documentary film can make complex legal questions visible, human, and accessible, without reducing their seriousness. For this reason, JPTi considers the work of PILF, Film for Law, AdvocacyProductions Geneva, and Stefan G. Ziegler to be an important contribution to the defence of international law and to the restoration of confidence in multilateralism.
JPTi expresses its strong support for the vision and work of Stefan G. Ziegler, Film for Law, and AdvocacyProductions Geneva. Mr Ziegler brings extensive humanitarian and international experience, including work connected with the ICRC, the OSCE, and the United Nations. Through documentary film, he has contributed to making international law more understandable, relevant, and accessible beyond the institutions that formally interpret and apply it.
This work has also received appreciation and support from Swiss diplomatic authorities. In a letter dated 2 March 2026, the Embassy of Switzerland in Uzbekistan, under the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, expressed appreciation for the collaboration entitled “International Law through Film in Central Asia”, following screenings and discussions around “The Mandate” in Astana, Almaty, Bishkek, and Tashkent. The letter underlined that, in the current geopolitical context, international law has become more pressing than ever, and that respect for, promotion of, and implementation of international law are a cornerstone of Switzerland’s foreign policy.
The reflective and educational nature of “The Mandate” makes it highly relevant for diplomats, United Nations officials, lawyers, judges, scholars, students, civil society organisations, human rights practitioners, journalists, educators, and all concerned members of the public. The film does not merely present international law as a technical discipline. It asks whether international law can still serve as a living framework for justice, restraint, accountability, and peace when its enforcement depends on political will that is too often absent.
The initiative also builds on previous work by AdvocacyProductions Geneva, including “BROKEN” and the related film “BROKEN PROMISES: Israel, Palestine, and Justice: A Case for International Law”. This earlier work has received very positive feedback and illustrates the capacity of documentary film to bring complex legal questions to wider audiences in an accessible, reflective, and thought-provoking manner.
The AdvocacyProductions Geneva YouTube channel is accessible here:
The direct link to “BROKEN PROMISES: Israel, Palestine, and Justice: A Case for International Law” is: https://youtu.be/Le8vY6kvWqY
Further initiatives from the Film for Law platform are already in preparation, including additional films, podcasts, and educational resources. JPTi strongly supports this work because international law belongs not only to courts, diplomats, governments, and legal experts, but also to societies, communities, and individuals affected by war, repression, displacement, discrimination, and injustice. The defence of international law requires informed institutions, but also informed publics. It requires professional expertise, but also moral clarity, civic engagement, and sustained public attention.
Those who believe in strengthening the rule of law in the international order, protecting multilateralism, defending human dignity, and making international law visible and relevant to all generations will find this initiative worthy of serious engagement. JPTi therefore encourages interested stakeholders to attend the Geneva launch, take part in the discussion, share the invitation with relevant networks, and support PILF’s important work in promoting international law through film.
Participation should be confirmed directly with the organisers by email at: pilf@filmforlaw.org
For further information about PILF, membership opportunities, and upcoming projects, please visit: www.filmforlaw.org
JPTi is pleased to support the wider dissemination of this initiative and encourages all those concerned with the future of international law to attend the screening of “The Mandate: for whom international law matters” at the Geneva launch of PILF.
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