Waltz with Bashir

September 1982 – on the destroyed street in Beirut, among the posters of assassinated president-elect, Bachir Gemayel, an Israeli soldier dance – in the rhythm of fire machine guns – weird dance theatre, dance like a waltz – waltz with Bachir. This way the creator of the animation, Waltz with Bashir, introduced us to his vision for these bloody events. Events initiated by Israelis invasion on Lebanon, called by Israel the Operation Peace of the Galilee and ended an international intervention and emergence of Hezbollah. Events, which the most important point - which is also the main theme of the movie – was Sabra and Shatila massacre.

Director of that unusual document is Ari Folman – Israeli forces soldier, one of the participants in that war. The film is an artistic attempt to settle it with the cruelty of those events and their personal involvement by its creators. Probably successful attempt for themselves – viewers are witnessing an artist catharsis – but not necessarily successful for the audience.

The starting point of this artistic enterprise – executed, importantly, more than twenty years after the reported incidents – is the fact that the main character of the movie (the director's alter ego) does not remember anything of the accident that took place then. He knows only so much that he took part in them – as a young, inexperienced boy, who – by orders – found himself in 1982 in occupied Lebanon. But he does not remember exactly where he was, whether he took part in armed actions and shooting, or was involved in the massacre of civilians in refugee camps. As he's been explained by one of his friends – the fact erase from the memory views experienced atrocities, is due to trauma, which survived the Folman himself and his family. Trauma, however, caused not by the massacre in Sabra and Shatila, but trauma caused by the fact that his ancestors were prisoners in the Auschwitz concentration camp. Trauma caused by genocide of Jews during World War II, rather than by genocide of Palestinians during the war in Lebanon!

We don't even get anything about the war in 1982 year – it's been said in this film that Israeli troops didn't know what and why they were ordered to fight. They've been ordered to shoot – they shot, they've been ordered to bomb – they bombarded, they've been ordered to kill – they kill. And in the evenings – they've been staggering comfortably on the beach – drinking, and singing. Singing songs about how great is to be in the war, and that today they bombed Beirut ...

In fact, both the Israeli invasion under the leadership of late Prime Minister, Ariel SharonAriel Sharon (then Defence Minister), as well as the bloody carnage on the Palestinian refugees, triggered worldwide protests and indignation of public opinion. UN condemned the actions of Israel, and Sharon lost his position as a result. There were a lot of protests – not only in Arab countries – throughout the world, including Israel. About all this, however, the film director is silent.

The film is the voice of opposition to the war – no doubt. The voice opposition to war as such, against killing and cruelty. The author does not glorify behaviour of young Israeli soldiers and his choice to use the animation convention is very accurate. It allows him to created the possibilities of showing the strong feelings and to induce the desired emotions of the viewer – it would be impossible using traditional techniques. In terms of artistic work Waltz with Bashir is likely to be the masterpiece, as confirmed by numerous awards and nominations.

Production may arouse the greater interest, that is regarded by many critics to be the first in the history of the world cinema documentary feature-length animated movie. Enormous opportunities of animation techniques were used perfectly by its creators. And the final film sequences, during which the drawings are replaced by documentary photographs of victims of massacres, have a great impression on the audience. The impression so great and so depressing that even the British (what happens in local cinemas extremely rare) remain in silence for a few moments after the end of the film.

Leaves a lot to be desired, however – at least for me – the way in which the director settles from the painful past. The manner in which he justifies not only himself but his brothers in arms. The film clearly shows that it's not they – the Israelis – murdered Palestinian civilians – it was the Lebanese Phalangists. And he – Ari Folman did not really remember whether he was in the vicinity...

It's not good enough for me.