Imagine Peace

Synopsis

Hundred-year-old Edith Ballantyne fled from the Nazis in 1938 and found her purpose as president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. As an ally of the United Nations, she influenced the international peace movement and brought millions of people onto the streets for disarmament. Horrified by the escalating conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, she now joins fellow activists in calling for dialogue.

A Milan Film Production

Duration 95 min.
Genre Documentary
Languages English, Arabic, Russian, Ukrainian
Producers Cyrill Gerber, Caroline Meier
Screenplay & Director Fabian Chiquet

World Premiere

Solothurn Film Festival, Reithalle | January 23, 2026 | nominated for Prix du Public

Director's statement

With the ruins of Mariupol and Gaza before my eyes and the global arms race in view, I wanted to show the world people who have always worked for peace, but who are missing from negotiations in times of escalation: the so-called "women of peace."

So I accompanied Edith Ballantyne, the 100-year-old icon of this movement, during the last years of her life. This woman, impressively clear-headed and compassionate until the very end, looked back on an eventful life: As a refugee and later as president of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, she witnessed a world falling apart, without ever losing patience or hope.

She was rightly called the "backbone of the peace movement" because she always put the movement, not herself, first. Her intuition for engaging in dialogue with those who held different views deeply impressed me. As a bridge-builder, she always sought diplomacy instead of armament and military confrontation to resolve conflicts.

She was frustrated by the common accusations that she was a naive utopian whenever war broke out. For her, peace work wasn't pacifism. It meant continuous work and investment in structures that prevent wars from arising in the first place: combating social injustice, education, diplomacy, and a strong UN.

When the situation in Ukraine escalated, Edith said to me: “I’m waiting for that harmless spark to come and flash.” For me, Edith herself is that spark — and as a filmmaker, I want to share it with the world. Because I am convinced that if people like Edith led this world, life would be better for everyone.

- Fabian Chiquet -

SCHWEIZER PREMIEREN 2026

14.10.2026 BRUGG, Odeon | 20:15

15.10.2026 GENEVA, Peace Forum * | 15:00

20.10.2026 BASEL, kult.kino Atelier * | 17:30 & 18:00
Podium mit Samira Marti (Nationalrätin), Charline Maire (GsoA), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

21.10.2026 LUZERN, Bourbaki * | 18:00
Podium mit David Roth (Nationalrat), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

22.10.2026 BERN, CineMovie * | 20:00
Podium mit Tamara Funiciello (Nationalrätin), Ruth-Gaby Vermot (ehem. Nationalrätin), Fabian Chiquet (Regie). Moderation: Annemarie Sancar (WILPF)

24.10.2026 STE CROIX, Cinema Royal * | 18:00

28.10.2026 LIESTAL, Sputnik * | 18:00
Podium mit Maya Graf (Ständerätin), Cyrill Gerber (Produzent), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

29.10.2026 ZÜRICH, Riffraff * | 18:00
Podium mit Fabian Molina (Nationalrat), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

03.11.2026 GENEVA, Cinelux * | 11:00
Podium mit Madeleine Rees (Protagonistin), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

08.11.2026 SOLOTHURN, Capitol * | 11:00
Podium mit Franziska Roth (Ständerätin), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

19.11.2026 WINTERTHUR, Cameo * | 20:00

20.11.2026 BERN, Cinématte * | 18:00
Podium mit Annemarie Sancar (WILPF), Fabian Chiquet (Regie)

21.11.2026 BERN, Kino in der Reitschule | 14:00

21.11.2026 SPIEZ, Film im Dorfhus * | 17:00

21.11.2026 BIEL, Filmpodium | 18:00

21.11.2026 OBERHOFEN, Schlosshof * | 19:30

22.11.2026 MEIRINGEN, Kino Meiringen * | 19:00

* Regisseur ist für anschliessendes Filmgespräch anwesend.

REGULÄRE KINOSTARTS 
ALTDORF, Cinema Leuzinger | BASEL, Kultkino Atelier | BERN, Cinemovie | BIEL/BIENNE, Filmpodium Biel/Bienne | BRUGG, Odeon | FRAUENFELD, Cinema Luna | LANGENTHAL, Kino Scala | LIESTAL, Sputnik | LUGANO, Cinema Corso | LUZERN, Bourbaki | MEIRINGEN, Kino Meiringen | SCHWYZ, Kino Schwyz | STE CROIX, Cinema Royal | WÄDENSWIL, Schloss Cinema | WINTERTHUR, Cameo | ZÜRICH, Riffraff, Houdini

Alle Premieren und Kinos werden laufend auf www.royal-film.ch ergänzt.

FILMFESTIVALS 2026

Solothurn Film Festival, SOLOTHURN | 23.1.2026 | nominated for Prix du Public | Reithalle

Film Festival Diritti Umani, LUGANO | 15.10.2026 | Cinema Corso

Globale Mittelhessen 2026, MITTELHESSEN (23.10 - 8.11.2026)

Solidarity Human Rights Film Festival 2026, TEL AVIV (10. - 19.12.2026)

Films For Future 2026, ZÜRICH (15.11.2026)

Let’s Doc, GANZE SCHWEIZ (1. - 30.11.2026)