Memories, dreams and nightmares collide in Ari Folman’s deeply evocative and visually stunning WALTZ WITH BASHIR, released by Artificial Eye on Blu-ray and DVD on 30 March 2009.

Lauded with an amount of critical acclaim rarely seen, the film has garnered a clutch of awards and nominations, winning Best Foreign Language film at the Golden Globes® and Best Composer at the European Film Awards. Numerous nominations have flooded in from around the world, including the Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language film, the Bafta® for Best Animated Film whilst at the Cannes Film Festival Ari’s visceral imagining was short listed for the coveted Golden Palm Award.

Finely crafted, hand drawn animation and a juxtaposed searing rock and classical soundtrack makes Folman’s visually arresting docu-drama a film connoisseurs must have. Exclusively to the Blu-ray release the film, an 70-minute ‘Making Of’ documentary lies within made by Folman himself, taking you closer to the story, the issues it raised and the intricate work and painstaking details that transformed WALTZ WITH BASHIR, from first sketch to finished spectacle.

The story starts one night at a bar, when an old friend tells director Ari Folman 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 anything 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...

Produced by Yael Nahliei, together with Serge Lalou, Gerhard Meixner and Roman Paul, the incredible visuals of Director of Animation Yoni Gooman and Art Director and Illustrator David Polonskey prosper with the injection of original music from award-winning British composer, Max Richter.

WALTZ WITH BASHIR has been praised as “visually stunning” by Time Out, with The Observer hailing the “gripping and hypnotic” film an overwhelming success, WALTZ WITH BASHIR is essential viewing for the 21st century.

BLU-RAY DETAILS
Title: WALTZ WITH BASHIR
Released by: ARTIFICIAL EYE
Release Date: 30 MARCH 2009
Certificate: 18
Price: £19.99
Running Time: 87 minutes (feature)
Special Features: Interview with director Ari Folman
‘Making of’ documentary (70 minutes)
Deleted scenes
Theatrical trailers
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1 & DTS HD Master Audio
Aspect Ratio: 1.78

DVD DETAILS
Title: WALTZ WITH BASHIR
Released by: ARTIFICIAL EYE
Release Date: 30 MARCH 2009
Certificate: 18
Price: £15.99
Running Time: 87 minutes (feature)
Special Features: Interview with director Ari Folman
Theatrical trailers
Audio: Dolby Digital 5.1
Aspect Ratio: 1.78