Screenings of the animated film, "Waltz with Bashir" open today in Cannes, on the second day of the Festival.

Last year in Competition was "Persépolis", a new style of animated film dealing with certain Middle East topics which won the Jury Prize. This year there is another animated film up for the Palme d’Or which also explores themes in the Middle East based on personal experiences: Waltz with Bashir by Israeli director Ari Folman, who is making a first appearance in Cannes. A sort of autobiography, the film puts Folman into this animation focusing on the Lebanon War in the early 80s.

"The story is my very personal experience, relates Ari Folman. It follows what I went through from the moment I realized that there were some major parts in my life completely missing from my memory. I discovered a lot of heavy stuff regarding my past and meanwhile, during those years, my wife and I brought three kids into this world. This makes you wonder, maybe I am doing all this for my sons. When they grow up and watch the film, it might help them make the right decisions, meaning not to take part in any war, whatsoever. "