Film Review | Waltz with Bashir

Waltz with Bashir (2008) was directed by Ari Folman. It tells the story of Folmans experience in the Lebanon war through the film by showing him searching for his memories of the war.

Fig 1, Movie Poster.

The film uses an art style based on that of comic books to show the search for memorias. The use of animation in the film works 'as the best way to reconstruct memories, fantasies, hallucinations, possibilities, past and present.' (Ebert, 2009). This is because it gives a sense of something not being real as well as allowing for the distortion usually seen in films. Thus the 'freedom of animation allows him to visualize what they tell him -- even their nightmares.' (Ebert, 2009).

Fig 2, Ari's Memory

The film is a retelling of memories of the event and thus doesn't 'claim to be an accurate historical account of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and is most certainly nothing of the kind. Instead, it presents itself as a psychodrama focusing on the long-term traumatic effects on some individual Israeli soldiers' (Ibish, 2009). This is shown in the focus it gives on the importance of Ari remembering the invasion and in the expressions and feelings of the soldiers he talks to. This allows for the film to look at the way people were effected by the events and a more personal view instead of just retelling them factually.

Fig 3, Remembering

The film's focus on the individual emotions of the soldiers is important. One reason for this is  'Since the vast majority of young Israelis serve in the army and many face disturbing episodes or encounters, the film has opened a rare conversation here about the impact of those experiences.' (Bronner, 2008).

Bibliography:

- Bronner, E, (2008), In Search of the Soldier in His Past, http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/14/movies/14bron.html (Accessed on: 15/02/18)

- Ebert, R, (2009), Waltz with Bashir, https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/waltz-with-bashir-2009 (Accessed on: 15/02/18)

- Ibish, H, (2009), A Waltz with the Dogs of Memory,https://www.thenation.com/article/waltz-dogs-memory/

Image List:

- Fig 1, Movie Poster, Found At: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185616/

- Fig 2, Ari's Memory, Found At: https://oneroomwithaview.com/2015/03/13/cel-mates-waltz-bashir/

- Fig 3, Remembering, Found At: https://www.documentary.org/magazine/waltz-bashir-fallibility-yet-persistence-memory