Cinema as a Tool for Human Rights Protection: An Interview with Swiss Documentarian Stefan Ziegler
Stefan Ziegler, a Swiss citizen and multiple award winner, as well as an associate professor at a university, arrived in Bishkek to present his film "The Mandate - Who Cares About International Law" at the "Bir Duyno" film festival in early December.
His work was recognized with an award presented by the festival organizer Toletkan Ismailova and the chairman of the Union of Cinematographers of Kyrgyzstan Talaybek Kulmendeev.
Ziegler is interesting in that he combines art and human rights advocacy in his films, which has had a significant impact on documentary cinema. At the meeting, he noted: "I am not a tourist in your country, but I am here to discover it for myself."
- How did you start your journey in cinema, and what inspired you? Which directors or films have influenced you the most? You also work in the field of international law; how do you manage to combine these two areas?
- In fact, I am not a professional director. I did not study cinema and do not even watch films due to a lack of time. However, I feel that I have been a creative person since childhood. Art has always played an important role in my life. I see myself not so much as a "filmmaker" but as an educator and advocate for humanitarian interests.
For me, filmmaking is a tool for conveying important messages.
After working for 25 years in the humanitarian field in conflict zones around the world, I concluded that cinema can be a powerful tool for this. After founding my film company Advocacy Productions, I decided that this is what I want to dedicate myself to. It may seem strange, but my inspiration comes from two main sources.
Firstly, it is the works of Bertolt Brecht, the German socialist playwright who advocated critical thinking. His approach taught me to use storytelling to convey narratives, thereby freeing the mind for dialogue. In "The Mandate," I even played the role of the main character, which turned out to be interesting for the audience.
Secondly, I use the PAR (Participative Action Research) methodology, which places the focus on those I am researching. This means that my films draw inspiration from interviews with the people we work with, and we adapt our content based on their opinions.
In the philosophy of human rights advocacy, we call this "giving a voice to the voiceless." This applies not only to cinema but also to the academic community in general. We often look at people without trying to understand their experiences, which allows us to create more interactive and meaningful films for youth.
Thus, the film "Broken" has been viewed over 3 million times, especially among teenagers who understand what is happening better than we can imagine. I plan to create the next documentary about international law for youth.
- What are the parallels between your films "Broken" and "The Mandate," and how do they relate to issues in Kyrgyzstan?
- Both films, like my other educational projects, focus on international law, which concerns all of us. It is not just an intellectual concept but also an ethical obligation. We intuitively know what is right and what is wrong.
For example, no one can justify the killing of an unarmed civilian. We all agree that protecting the innocent is vital for establishing peace after conflicts.
These ideas are based on the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, which, along with human rights, form the foundation of international law recognized worldwide.
I strive to convey to viewers that understanding the law in conflict situations is important, as it can happen to anyone. If we can reach a common understanding of these laws, we can also use it to build a peaceful life.
This logic was understood by your audience. I am glad to see how youth in universities and at the festival actively discuss these ideas.
Kyrgyzstan can be proud of its youth, who critically reflect on what is happening and participate in discussions.
- What brought you to Kyrgyzstan? How did you learn about Kyrgyz cinema and the culture of the country?
- I was invited by the Swiss embassies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, which organized a two-week tour for me with film screenings and lectures.
Switzerland is known for its neutrality and as the location of the Geneva Conventions, the foundation of modern international humanitarian law.
The Swiss government supports my work and allows me to discuss these films in your country and others where it may be challenging.
During my visit, I conducted many lectures and interesting discussions, half of which took place at universities, and the other half with representatives of the media and civil society organizations. Despite the short stay, interacting with different people allowed me to immerse myself in the authentic culture.
- What are your goals in the field of international law during this visit? What is the main objective of your tour?
- I came here to show my film at the "Bir Duyno" festival. By observing the audience's reaction, I better understand what needs to be done. A month ago, when I was here, I noticed how open people are to new knowledge and how they open up after watching my film.
I was invited to better understand their views on international law, and this willingness to learn inspires me as a filmmaker and educator.
At one of the meetings in Bishkek, I was directly asked: "Do you want to show your film at our festival?" Such things usually do not happen at festivals, and it highlights the directness of the Kyrgyz people, which impresses me greatly.
I believe that the five Central Asian countries can become stronger if they work together in a spirit of solidarity. International law can be one of those unifying forces.
This requires the exchange of ideas and experiences, and if we can do this through cinema, involving academic circles and ordinary people, we can form a common perspective. I would like to help create a discursive educational center that will explore international law through the lens of cinema.
If my experience becomes a spark for active engagement and learning for all, it will enable people to embrace ideas that serve not only education but also cultural exchange, fostering peaceful coexistence.
- You talk about alliances. Do you believe you have found like-minded individuals in Central Asia who work in the field of international law and cinema? Who are these people?
- Yes, but it is not easy. There are few filmmakers among them. I rather meet people who advocate for the interests of those whose voices are not heard.
It is important to find people with kind hearts who are willing to convey a message in a film or educational content that will be understandable to many. I cannot do this alone, so we need an alliance of people who share my vision.
I would call our joint efforts a mission or even a mandate. We need to convey our idea not only from academic circles but also from within society.
- Tell us about your upcoming project that you mentioned at the beginning of the conversation. What is its theme and message, and what have you already started working on?
- The film will be called "Curious" and will last about five and a half hours. It is educational material for teachers that can be used in full or in parts. It is adaptable to different regions, and everyone can take from it what they find necessary.
The material can be applied in various settings, and it is suitable for both semester courses and weekend seminars.
If you want to use it at a university, you can choose a section that fits your discipline.
The work on this research took eight years.
We had teachers from 20 countries who engaged youth in the process, asking students what they understood and what they did not.
Thus, young people from 20 countries shared their reflections on international law, representing a microcosm of diverse ideas.
The film "Curious" is expected to be released in the next six months.
There are two international courts in The Hague - the UN International Court and the ICC. We hope that the Dutch government will allocate funds to support the rule of law to make the film accessible to everyone, especially teachers worldwide.
At the initial stage, we will translate subtitles into Kyrgyz, Russian, and more than 30 other languages so that as many people as possible can benefit from it.
- You mainly deal with international law. Tell us about the filming and editing process of your documentary. Did you discover anything new during the work?
- When we filmed our first movie, it was called "BROKEN - A Palestinian Journey Through International Law," but over time we changed the title to make it more appealing to different audiences. It is now called "BROKEN PROMISES - Israel, Palestine, and Justice: Arguments for International Law" on our free YouTube channel "AdvocacyProductions."
Although it may seem strange, it reflects our desire to reach as many people as possible with our product.
Initially, we did not plan to shoot other films. However, I became interested in how candidly the judges of the International Court speak about their work and memories. We also found archival materials that had not previously been used in films.
I felt that it was necessary to complete what was started, and after six years, we released the film "The Mandate," which was shown here a few days ago.
From the very beginning, our films differ significantly. They are true documentaries that reflect what is happening and are part of a learning cycle, timeless, just like international law.
Our films attract a wide audience - from those interested in law and diplomacy to youth and ordinary citizens.
Four weeks after the release of "The Mandate" in May, we received an email from the library of the International Court requesting digital copies of our films. How they found out about this remains a mystery, but they asked for two copies. Earlier, I met with the former president of the court, and when I introduced myself as the producer of the film "Broken," she said: "Did you not know that we conduct training based on your film?"
This impressed me greatly.
- Do you have other plans for the future? What film projects are you looking forward to?
- Tomorrow I have a meeting with a local artist whose works have been exhibited abroad and uniquely and engagingly speak about their culture. I saw a film about him and could only read the subtitles in Kyrgyz.
I thought that such subtitles could not have been created by artificial intelligence or a regular translator - they were too poetic. His storytelling style reminded me of orators from Greek mythology. I asked the famous translator Zina Karaeva to confirm my suspicions that this was a miracle of language. If this turns out to be true, we will shoot a documentary with this artist titled "Poetry and International Law - An Artistic Understanding of Conflict of Laws."
In my office, there are already about 12 films waiting for their time. Thanks to the Kyrgyz people, I am inspired by many new ideas and will gladly return to this amazing land.
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