Animated documentary WALTZ WITH BASHIR was submitted by Israel as its foreign-language contender at the Oscars. The film could also run in the animated feature category, but not as a documentary, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER.
Israel is one of 96 countries the Academy invites to submit films for Oscar consideration. The deadline is October 1. Nominations will be announced in all categories on January 22 and the 81st Academy Awards will be presented February 22 at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood.
WALTZ WITH BASHIR uses hand-drawn animation to illustrate director Ari Folman's interviews with participants in the 1980s Lebanese war that included the massacre of Palestinian civilians. After videotaping and sound-recording, the film was hand-drawn with no rotoscoping.
BASHIR debuted at Cannes and has played everywhere form Telluride to Toronto to the New York Film Festival. It won Best Picture at the Ophir Awards this week. Israel traditionally submits the Ophir winner as its Oscar winner, although last year's winner THE BAND'S VISIT was disqualified for having more than 50 percent English dialogue.
