Waltz with Bashir.
Earlier in the week i watched Waltz with Bashir, an animated documentary in which the Israeli director, Ari Folman, seeks to recollect his involvement in the Lebanon war of 1982.
The journey of remembrance begins when Folman is contacted by a friend who served along side him in the army 20 years earlier. In the meeting it becomes apparent that Folman recalls almost nothing of his past experience in Lebanon. That night, following a vivid dream in which he and several other Israeli soldiers bath in the sea by the city of Beirut, Folman decides to seek out people that may be able to help him remember and makes sense of his past. The film, in essence, is a vivid and imaginative exploration of the journey that follows.
For those of you not familiar with the Lebanon war of 1982, here is a quick summary: For many years, the northern cities of Israel were bombed by missiles launched by Palestinian rebels in Lebanon. Israel subsequently invaded southern Lebanon with the intention of establishing a 40km wide safety zone that would take the missiles out of range of Israeli territory. Unfortunately, Israel’s Minister of Defence, Ariel Sharon, had more ambitious plans, and without the knowledge of the President, ordered the Israeli army onto Lebanon’s capital, Beirut. His plan was to remove the threat imposed by the Palestinian government by appointing his friend and ally, the Phalangist Christian, Bashir Gemayel, President of Lebanon. When Gemayel was unexpectedly killed, Israeli troops entered Beirut, and surrounded the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps. Phalangist soldiers, grieved at the loss of their revered leader Gemayel, entered the camps, and over a period of 3 days, mascaraed in excess of 3,000 men, women and children. The horrific killing was halted only after news of the massacre spread; Sharon was found guilty of not having ordered an end to the massacre when first notified. He was dismissed from government, but returned to political life several years later, and ultimately became President.
Waltz with Bashir is an entirely gripping work or art. It is perhaps counter intuitive, but the simple comic-book animation, diverse soundtrack, and stark color palette, rich in golden and dirty-blue hues, combine to bring an incredibly human dimension to this horrific story. This is not a documentary brimming with talking heads and cold hard facts; it is a deeply personal journey exploring the subjectivity and fallibility of memory, the utter wastefulness of war, and the delicacy of the human heart.
The film’s trailer:
An interview with director Ari Folman in which he explains his decision to use animation:
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