Is film therapeutic? Or is it just a waste of time? Is it therapeutic for only the viewer, or is it for the filmmaker as well? These questions are at the forefront of Waltz with Bashir, Ari Folman’s animated documentary capturing his experience in the Lebanon war. Or so he thinks so.
The director plays himself as he tried to uncover what happened in the war, because he can’t remember it. This takes him on a therapeutic journey interviewing people about the war, the genocide, and the invasion that came with it.
Ari Folman came out and said making this film was therapeutic for him, and having seen the film I can find the same experience in myself.
Themes of therapy and hardship are prevalent in the soldiers, in and out of the war. It is a film whose animation is meant to cover the hardships of war and present it a less realized reality, which is what it is to the director. The animation is beautiful and captures exactly the therapeutic qualities possessed in film and brings them to the forefront. This film is one that needs to be experienced, not only because it is a film that can teach more about this horrific event, but can act as our own personal therapist the is with us through our crazy lives. Or maybe everything I’m saying is wrong and you hate it your first watch and never want to see it again. Either way I highly recommend you watch this film. Thanks for reading and make sure to come back next week for another installation of Jackson’s obscure film of the week.
