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When it came time for me to vote on the BEST FILMS of 2008, (a requirement for the critics association), I had to think a long time about in what category I would place Waltz with Bashir. Animation? Yes! Documentary? Sure. Foreign Language Film? Yep, that too. Or just plain Best Film? Absolutely! So where does Waltz with Bashir belong? It should be on the very top of your “Must See” list.

Memory pared down to its essence is our mental ability to store, retain and recall information. But we all recognize the powerful impact that emotion can beget, rendering some memories unreliable. Or worse, nonexistent.

Waltz with Bashir is the autobiographical story of writer-director Ari Folman who experiences a memory lapse encompassing his time spent twenty years earlier as a young soldier in the elite Israel Defense Force. The film wastes no time luring you into his story. 

And what a story it is! The film is launched with a jolt as Folman meets with a fellow veteran in a bar as they discuss the recurrent dream his friend has been experiencing. Boaz is haunted by this nightmare; a vision of being chased by twenty-six ferocious dogs. He is convinced that the nightmare pertains to his combat missions as a soldier during the Lebanon invasion of 1982.  Explaining that the barks served as an early warning system to villagers, Boaz silenced 26 dogs in order to stealthily enter without detection.

Folman is stunned; he has no memory of his role in the Lebanese war. Only one lasting image remains; that of a young, lanky soldier (Folman) and two fellow soldiers rising naked from the water, silhouetted by flashes of light in the inky night sky. Suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, Folman heads to his therapist for some answers.

Post-traumatic stress disorder usually develops after a terrifying ordeal that involves the threat of physical harm. The person who develops this syndrome may not have been the one who was harmed; just witnessing a harmful event can trigger this affliction. It’s no wonder that soldiers returning from battle are often victims; the of power guilt is potent indeed.

Folman sets off on a journey to unlock his memories by meeting with fellow soldiers hoping that their recollections will entice his memories to surface; memories that were repressed and solidified by feelings of angst and regret. Each ex-soldier has a harrowing story to tell, leading up to a devastating conclusion - the Christian Phalangist Militia massacre of the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps.

Using animation to chronicle the story line was nothing short of brilliant. How else would one make a documentary where no footage of the experience exists? In this manner, it could be depicted in sharp focus utilizing bold colors and accompanied by a haunting soundtrack. The title of the film refers to the visually arresting moment when a soldier grabs a gun and amidst the rat-tat-tat of gunfire choreographs a deadly dance to the strains of a Chopin waltz. Only at the very end, does the film segue into actual footage of the attack on the Sabra and Shatila camps. The effect is nothing short of arresting.

Waltz with Bashir is Israel’s 2009 Academy Awards official submission to Foreign-Language Film category. It has already won some impressive awards; taking home the statuette for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globes last week and was the 2008 IDA
Documentary Award winner (in the Feature Documentary category).

Waltz with Bashir may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The film is both disturbing and honest, but you will think about those mesmerizing images long after you’ve exited the theater.

Waltz with Bashir - Interview with Israeli Writer-Director Ari Folman

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