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Waltz with Bashir (2008)
"Vals Im Bashir" (original title)

R  |   |  Animation, Biography, Drama  |  12 June 2008 (Israel)
8.0
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Ratings: 8.0/10 from 43,221 users   Metascore: 91/100
Reviews: 152 user | 228 critic | 33 from Metacritic.com

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.

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Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 42 wins & 53 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Complete credited cast:
...
Himself (voice)
Ori Sivan ...
Himself - Interviewee (voice)
Ronny Dayag ...
Himself - Interviewee (voice)
Shmuel Frenkel ...
Himself - Interviewee (voice)
Zahava Solomon ...
Herself - Interviewee (voice) (as Prof. Zahava Solomon)
Ron Ben-Yishai ...
Himself - Interviewee (voice)
Dror Harazi ...
Himself - Interviewee (voice)
Mickey Leon ...
Boaz Rein-Buskila (voice) (as Miki Leon)
Yehezkel Lazarov ...
Carmi Cna'an (voice)
Edit

Storyline

One night at a bar, an old friend tells director Ari about a recurring nightmare in which he is chased by 26 vicious dogs. Every night, the same number of beasts. The two men conclude that there's a connection to their Israeli Army mission in the first Lebanon War of the early eighties. Ari is surprised that he can't remember a thing anymore about that period of his life. Intrigued by this riddle, he decides to meet and interview old friends and comrades around the world. He needs to discover the truth about that time and about himself. As Ari delves deeper and deeper into the mystery, his memory begins to creep up in surreal images. Written by intlpress@aol.com

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

interview | lebanon | dog | bar | nightmare | See All (55) »

Taglines:

We may forget the past, but the past won't forget us. [Theatrical trailer.]


Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some disturbing images of atrocities, strong violence, brief nudity and a scene of graphic sexual content | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Language:

| | |

Release Date:

12 June 2008 (Israel)  »

Also Known As:

Waltz with Bashir  »

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£113,087 (UK) (21 November 2008)

Gross:

$2,283,276 (USA) (8 May 2009)
 »

Company Credits

Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The narrator refers to the transport helicopter as a "Hercules helicopter", which is a confusion of the C-130 Hercules cargo plane with the CH-53 Stallion helicopter, the latter being the true transportation device. See more »

Goofs

The narrator refers to the transport helicopter as a "Hercules helicopter", which is a confusion of the C-130 Hercules cargo plane with the CH-53 Stallion helicopter, the latter being the true transportation device. See more »

Quotes

Anonymous soldier: What to do? What to do? Why don't you tell us what to do?
Ari Folman: Shoot!
Anonymous soldier: On who?
Ari Folman: How should I know on who? Just shoot!
Anonymous soldier: Isn't it better to pray?
Ari Folman: Pray and shoot!
See more »

Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09 (2008) See more »

Soundtracks

Incubator
Originally Performed by The Clique
Written by Dani Dotan (as Dani Dothan)
Composed by Eli Abramov
Performed by Nitzan Rimon
Guitars by Nitzan Rimon
Bass by Dar Nahmias
Drums by Ofer Harrari
Produced and Recorded by Dar Nahmias
Recorded at Ambience Studios, Israel
See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

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User Reviews

Political animation of a very high order
7 December 2008 | by (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

Animation is not just for children - the French "Persepolis" (about a girl in Iran) made that clear and the Israeli "Waltz With Bashir" (about the invasion of Lebanon) dramatically underlines the point. The Israeli work was written , produced and directed by Ari Folman and is based on his experiences as a soldier and his video of his exploration of the traumatic events some 20 years later. Like any really powerful film, the opening and closing sequences are stunning - but the intervening one and half hours contain so many moving and disturbing images - some simply surreal - that the animation plays in the mind long after the credits have rolled.

The title is a reference to Bashir Gemayel, the newly appointed President of Lebanon, who was assassinated on 14 September 1982 following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon on 6 June 1982. The assassination led the Israeli command to authorise the entrance of a force of approximately 150 Phalangist fighters into the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, resulting in a massacre of at least 800 civilians. It is this horrific incident that is the emotional heart of the movie and the cause of Folman's mental repression.


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Dear viewers - please answer! three_eyed_fish
I was blown away by this film - anything else out there like it? triniteematrix
A really great Film but... raptor1993
Waltz with Bashir - the greatest film of the decade? khan0890
Arab/Persian movie recommendations? rlippman-2
anybody else have a hard time......... jeffsawreck
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