Waltz with Bashir

"Waltz with Bashir" is an animated documentary by Ari Folman on how he recovers his memories on the Lebanon War 1982.

The movie starts with a conversation in a bar, where Ari is being told by a friend the story of a reoccurring dream of being hunted by 26 dogs - a trauma dating back from his war experience in 1982.

This makes Ari think of his own memories of the Lebanon War - none! In order to recover his memories he meets old friends and comrades that fought with him that time.

Once having dug into his memories, he has his own reoccurring dream which is connected to the massacre of Sabra and Schatila in Beirut on 16.-18.September 1982.

In late August 1982, General Bachir Gemayel had been elected as president of Lebanon. He had a Christian background and his aim was to unite all Lebanese people no matter of their religion. On 14.September he and 25 of his Kata'ib party members were killed in a bomb attack. Suspecting Palestinians to have enforced this attack, Christian Phalange militias went to the Palestinian refugee camps Sabra and Schatila in southern Beirut and killed 2,000 civilians within three days. The Israeli military had surrounded the camps and were well aware of what was happening inside. Instead of preventing the genocide, they even supplied the Phalange militias with ammunition. Because of this incident, Israelian minister of defence, Ariel Scharon, had to step down after a trial in 1983. The real initiator of the bomb attack on Bashir is said to be the Syrian secret service.

"Waltz with Bashir" was nominated at this years Academy Awards for "Best foreign language film" and won one Golden Globe in the same category.



It is certainly one of the best animated movies I've seen so far and the only animated documentary. It is a shame that this movie has not been released in Malaysia - all because of stupid politics! For those who are not aware: as a Muslim country, Malaysia is not supposed to show Israelian movies - even if these are anti-war movies (as in this case). At least, I have ways to get around this censorship ;-p.