Ari Folman

The word “unusual” comes to mind when describing Waltz with Bashir. Part documentary film and part animation, Ari Folman merges surrealist imagery with realism, mixes docu-tools like archive footage and talking heads with vivid, not vomit inducing rotoscope techniques and punk rock music. Though innately political (Folman’s pieced archive of friend’s personal memories does describe the Sabra and Shatila massacres) this oeuvre is far from politicized, instead the Israeli filmmaker is more interested in how the memory both protects and reminds us about a past that would have preferably been better avoided.

Never has plunging into one’s own psychosis offered such pulsating results and not surprisingly, the need to categorize the film may hinder its chances at receiving the year end award recognition when measured up against the best animated film being a Pixar picture and the best documentary film being the tale about a tightrope walking Frenchman who took on the Twin Towers.

Yama Rahimi: Tell us about the genesis of this project?
Ari Folman: It all started five years ago when I wanted an early release from Israeli Reserve Army where you serve like two weeks in a year. I was a screenwriter doing silly instruction films for TV but I wanted to get out and they said you can't unless you go to the army therapist and tell them everything you have been through during your army service. I did that and did ten sessions and was pretty much amazed at the end to hear my story for the first time. Not by the story but the fact that I never heard it before. It was amazing then came the dog dreams of my friend and I started to talk to other friends and decided I wanted to make a film about it.

YR: So how long did it take to make this film?
AF: Four years.

YR: At what point did you decide to animate the film?
AF: From the beginning I imagined the film being animated. I knew it had to be animated because in my imagination the characters were drawn. The film is always on the verge between reality, dreams and lost memories.There was no other way to do it than animation which gave me total freedom.

YR: Tell us about the animators and process for this striking film that we haven't seen before?
AF: Basically it was dictated by the design and the fact that we didn't have much money. It's part classic animation, flash and 3D animation for certain shots.

YR: What was the biggest challenge on this film?
AF: The biggest challenge was to complete it. Once I decided on the journey, we had to figure what's animated documentary since there was no reference for us to look at. How to make the characters and the story believable.

YR: How was the film received in Israel?
AF: It was very well received and warm which was a total surprise. The people and government supported it and still do.

YR: The Israeli Cinema is very strong and political and there seems to be a call for peace from artists. Is it embraced by the people and the government or are this films made for outside of Israel?
AF: This film was received well but some do better outside of Israel. This is the best era of Israeli Cinema because there's a lot of money coming from Europe and there's more co-productions. A lot of filmmakers have matured where they can express their voices and helps them make better films.

YR: Were you surprised that the film didn't receive any awards in Cannes?
AF: Yes but so was everybody else. I don't know what happened and there are so many theories. We thought we would take something but heard that our film didn't need it which is full of bullshit.

YR: What are some of the filmmakers and films that have inspired you for this picture?
AF: Well I was inspired by graphic novels and books about war where people experienced war and then came and took a step back to write about their experience, the stupidity of war and the surrealism of war.

YR: What's next for you?
AF: I optioned a Stanislaw Lem (Solaris) novel called, The Futurological Congress that will be animated.