Waltz with Bashir

Waltz with Bashir (Hebrew: ואלס עם באשיר, translit. Vals Im Bashir) is a 2008 adult animated war documentary film written, produced, and directed by Ari Folman. It depicts Folman's search for lost memories of his experience as a soldier during the 1982 Lebanon War and the Sabra and Shatila massacre. It was the first Israeli feature-length animated film released theatrically since Joseph the Dreamer in 1962. The film premiered at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or. Subsequently, it received wide acclaim from critics and audiences alike, with particular praise given to its use of visualized animation blended with archival footage, as well as Folman's direction, Max Richter's score, and Nili Feller's editing, although it drew criticism from Arab countries. It is considered a groundbreaking achievement for adult animated films, setting it apart from typical animated films by tackling realistic and complex, mature themes with personal reflection that explores the psychological and physical damage of war. Waltz with Bashir garnered numerous accolades for the first time in an R-rated and non-English-language animated film including the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Foreign Language Film, the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Film, WGA's Best Documentary Screenplay and DGA's Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Documentary, and the International Documentary Association Award for Best Feature Documentary, and a nomination of Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.