Waltz with Bashir (2008) | agoodmovietowatch
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Waltz with Bashir 2008

An unflinching film that blends genre and form to effectively deliver its anti-war message

Our Take (by Renee Cuisia)

In Waltz with Bashir, director Ari Folman grapples with the trauma and dehumanization of war by examining the role he played in the 1982 Invasion of Lebanon. But his memories are fractured, so in an attempt to piece them back together, he visits his comrades and has them recall the events for him. The result is both poignant and painful, a horrific tell-all of what happens on both sides of the battleground. The film is a documentary, chillingly honest and straightforward, but it’s also an animation gem that continues the legacy that Persepolis started and Flee continues. By combining the harshness of war with the lightness of animation, all three films effectively deliver their anti-war message with a much-needed human and personal touch. 

Notable Critics

"A movie so unusual that it overflows any box in which you try to contain it."

— Anthony Lane

"Its fluid boundary between the real and surreal lifts it into the realm of myth."

— David Edelstein

Synopsis

An Israeli film director interviews fellow veterans of the 1982 invasion of Lebanon to reconstruct his own memories of his term of service in that conflict.

Awards

Oscars

1 nomination

Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film

Cannes

1 nomination

Nominated: Palme d'Or

Golden Globes

1 win

Won: Best Foreign Language Film

BAFTA

2 nominations

Nominated: Best Animated FilmNominated: Best Film not in the English Language

DGA

1 nomination

Nominated: DGA Award

WGA

1 nomination

Nominated: WGA Award (Screen)

Nat. Board of Review

1 nomination

Nominated: NBR Award

NYFCC

2 nominations

Nominated: NYFCC AwardNominated: NYFCC Award

LAFCA

2 nominations

Nominated: LAFCA AwardNominated: LAFCA Award

European Film Awards

1 win, 3 nominations

Won: European ComposerNominated: European DirectorNominated: European FilmNominated: European Screenwriter

César Awards

1 nomination

Nominated: César

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About the author

Renee Cuisia

Renee Cuisia

Renee Cuisia is the lead curator at A Good Movie to Watch. In her spare time, she likes to watch K-dramas and analyze them to death. She's also seen You've Got Mail one too many times but is still convinced it's one of the greatest films out there.