MK2 Films has acquired world rights to director Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir under an agreement with Brigitte Folman Film Gang. A new 4K restoration of the film is underway and is expected to be released this year.
Waltz with Bashir first premiered in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival and broke new ground in its fusion of animation and documentary storytelling. The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for an Academy Award in the same category, making it the first animated film to win that honor.
The film follows a former Israeli soldier’s quest to recover memories of his suppressed experiences during the 1982 Lebanon War.
“Waltz with Bashir” “remains a deeply powerful exploration of memory, trauma and the lasting human effects of war,” MK2 said.
The film has been recognized in a number of major critical rankings, including The Guardian’s “100 Best Films of the 21st Century” and Empire’s “100 Best World Films.” It has a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
MK2’s animation collection includes “Mars Express” by Jeremy Perrin, “Calamity” by Remi Chai, “The Inventor” by Jim Capobianco, and the upcoming “Mu Yi” by Julian Chen, “Fleur” by Remi Chai, and “Outfoxed!” Written by Paul Bolger.
