Cross borders with the Asser Institute @ Movies that Matter Festival 2019

In the films that are part of the Camera Justitia programme at the Movies that Matter Festival 2019, it becomes clear that law is instrumental in the making or breaking of borders. Borders demarcate separation; between states, between guilt and innocence, between the powerful and the powerless, between us and them. But when people start contesting the borders, they can become fuzzy or porous. In eight films and over 20 Q&As and debates with filmmakers, lawyers and other experts, we discuss these border cases that evolve around international law and the fight for justice in The Hague from 20-30 March 2019.

The Asser Institute and the Movies that Matter festival are both firmly rooted in The Hague, city of Peace and Justice. Both organisations believe in the power of making connections, of reaching beyond one’s own circle, and of meeting others. At the festival, we aim to create a space where filmmakers can meet lawyers, where politicians can meet artists, where activists can meet academics, and where students can meet judges — unexpected encounters that can help us gain new insights and mutual understanding.

As supporter of the Camera Justitia programme, the Asser Institute invites you to cross our disciplinary borders, and to join us for the festival. The Movies that Matter Festival annually presents a nine-day programme of around 70 films and documentaries about human rights and social justice, and serves as a platform for debate and discussion. Particularly, we encourage you to sign up for our 2-day Workshop on Film and International Law and the annual Camera Justitia Masterclass.

Workshop Film and International Law
What do we see when we watch documentary film on law and justice? How is justice, how is law portrayed on screen? How do editing, narrative, and music affect how we feel and think about the law? This workshop uniquely combines lectures in critical theoretical analysis of documentary film with a visit to one of Europe’s largest film festivals. The lectures by Prof. Wouter Werner (VU Amsterdam) and Dr Sofia Stolk (Asser Institute/Movies that Matter) take place at the T.M.C. Asser Instituut, followed by film screenings and meet-and-greets with filmmakers at the Movies that Matter festival. The workshop takes place on 27 and 28 March. As part of the workshop, participants will also visit the Camera Justitia Masterclass and the Camera Justitia night. For more information and registration click here.

Camera Justitia Masterclass
In the annual Camera Justitia Masterclass, prominent international lawyer Colleen Rohan will talk about her work as defence counsel before different international criminal tribunals, illustrated by excerpts from this year’s festival films, e.g. The Trial of Radko Mladic. Colleen Rohan is an expert in the area of defending international criminal cases and the former president of the Association of Defence Counsel practising before the International Courts and Tribunals. The Masterclass takes place on Thursday 28 March at 16:00h in the Foyer of Theater aan het Spui and is free of charge.

Camera Justitia Night
During this special night on law and justice, an international jury will award the Golden Butterfly to the director of the best film in the Camera Justitia programme, followed by a screening of the film Smuggling Hendrix. The event takes place on Thursday 28 March at 20:00h and is hosted by Bart Stapert, Chairman of the Movies that Matter Foundation. The Camera Justitia Night is generally attended by many visitors from the national and international legal community, including the International Criminal Court, and various tribunals and legal institutions based in The Hague.

The Movies that Matter Festival takes place in Filmhuis Den Haag and Theater aan het Spui, The Hague. In 2019, the festival dates are 22-30 March. You can win tickets for the Movies that Matter screening of the film 'On the Basis of Sex' by participating in our website survey.

The programme will be announced on the Movies that Matter website late February. Ticket sale starts on Thursday 7 March.