Waltz with Bashir
An Israeli filmmaker reconstructs his buried memories of the Lebanon War through surreal animation, soldier testimony, and an anguished search for responsibility.
Overview
A haunting exploration of memory and trauma set against the backdrop of war.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- harrowing
- surreal
- introspective
- serious viewing
- historical reflection
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a pioneering, mesmerizing, and vital anti-war documentary that uses inventive animation to confront historical trauma.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ari interviews former comrades around the world to recover what happened during his army service.
Nightmares, hallucination-like visions, and creeping recollections render Ari's damaged memory in animated form.
Ari's amnesia and remorse are tied to his participation as an Israeli soldier during the Lebanon War.
Interviews with soldiers connect private guilt to the 1982 Lebanon War and the Sabra and Shatila massacre.
Films like Waltz with Bashir, and why
Flee
shares animated documentary form, psychological trauma, and innovative visual storytelling
The Look of Silence
shares anti-war humanism, soldier guilt, and harrowing memory of military violence
The Missing Picture
shares animated testimony, historical trauma, and surreal reconstruction of violent events
The Act of Killing
shares morally complex war memory, fractured recollection, and documentary investigation
Movie Details
- Director
- Ari Folman
- Release Date
- 2008-06-12
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 7.7 / 10 (1089)
Cast
- Ari Folman
- Mickey Leon
- Ori Sivan
- Yehezkel Lazarov
- Ronny Dayag
- Shmuel Frenkel
- Zahava Solomon
- Ron Ben-Yishai
- Dror Harazi
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Waltz with Bashir about?
- An Israeli filmmaker reconstructs his buried memories of the Lebanon War through surreal animation, soldier testimony, and an anguished search for responsibility.
- What is Waltz with Bashir like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Waltz with Bashir as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Waltz with Bashir violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Waltz with Bashir as graphic.
- What did critics think of Waltz with Bashir?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a pioneering, mesmerizing, and vital anti-war documentary that uses inventive animation to confront historical trauma.
- Which films are like Waltz with Bashir?
- Films with a similar feel include Flee, The Look of Silence, The Missing Picture, and The Act of Killing.
- How long is Waltz with Bashir?
- Waltz with Bashir runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch Waltz with Bashir?
- In United States, Waltz with Bashir is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
