Realism/Reality
By Eric, Sébastien, and Weslé
Reality can be a hard thing to grasp and understand, especially when it comes to our memories. The two films Waltz with Bashir and Persepolis explore the past that is stored within our memories in attempt to teach the audience important ideas that of each character present in these. Each movie manages to do this through animation, a method of film that is often associated with fiction.
The struggle between reality and a fiction
The film Waltz with Bashir written and directed by Ari Folman, is an animated film that follows Folman in his attempt to remember the invasion of Lebanon and the role he played in it. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. The film has won award(s) from the Israeli Academy Awards, Golden Globes Awards, Academy Awards and many others. Folman has created a short documentary in the past and wanted to try his hand at an animated documentary. After success with an experimental documentary on the science of love called The Material That Love is Made of, Folman decided to make a full length documentary: Waltz with Bashir. Despite the fact that documentaries are almost without exception presented in live-action, Waltz with Bashir is still a documentary because it contains expository, interactive, poetic and reflexive modes which are commonly found in documentaries (source).
The documentary starts with a recurring nightmare his friend Boaz has been having, then the audience is in a bar, where we are introduced to Folman and Boaz. The nightmare is filled with 26 dogs that he had killed during the Lebanon War. When Folman tries to remember his past experiences of the war, he cannot seem to remember anything. Shortly thereafter, he began to have visions of himself waking up in water, slowly walking to shore with his fellow soldiers as the sky was being lit up by flares. Puzzled, Folman sees his friend and consults him about this vision. His friend talks about how memory is unreliable, and the best way to find out what happened would be to talk to other individuals who were there and remembered the events that took place. This causes Folman to travel to many places, such as the Netherlands, to interview his friends from the war. As he slowly starts to put things together, we the audience start to get a glimpse of how terrible war can be, rather than this glorified image of heroes fighting to defend what they believe in. After interviewing everyone, he is able to remember himself lighting up the skies, in order to aid the Christians in the massacre of Lebanon. We are then left with a live-action video clip of the massacre to remind the viewer that everything shown happened in real life.
The week we viewed Waltz with Bashir, we talked about realism. Traditionally, most documentaries tend to capture “reality.” However, due to editing and the vision of the realist director, this “reality” can be presented in a not so concrete way. Waltz with Bashir is no different, despite it being an animated documentary. Although the information given to the audience is taken from real life events or people, it is still being delivered to us through the eyes of the director. In the recreation of Boaz’s dream, for example, he simply states that he is being chased by the 26 dogs he killed in the army. Folman then recreates his nightmare the way he envisioned it to be. The colors he chose, the environment they were in, and the dogs’ aggressive behavior can all greatly change the way we – the audience – perceive the nightmare. There are also moments throughout the movie where “reality” and memories start to merge together. One of the more obvious moments of this is when Folman is in the taxi leaving his old friend Carmi’s house; then, the world around him changes, and he finds himself firing rounds from a tank. Seeing as how the movie was constructed with animations based off the memories and experiences of Folman, we can never be fully certain that what we are observing actually happened the way we see it.
Persepolis (Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi, 2007, France, 96 min.)
The second movie our team had to watch was Persepolis. It is a French-language film by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud. The movie has won two Cesar awards, the best foreign language film in the 2007 edition of the Sao Paulo international film festival, and the Rogers People’s Choice Awards for Most Popular International Film in the Vancouver international film festival of that same year. It was the story of a little girl named “Marjane” who is the narrator of the movie. Unlike any other girl, she has a unique perspective how hard it was to grow in Iran. The girl came from a family of communists. Although some members of her family did not agree, she stood up for herself, and even at a young age had already deep thoughts on the Iranian conflict. She grew to become a rebel in her own country, which caused her to move to a foreign country. The problems did not simply stop once she had left, though. She was now being judged by people simply because of her origins. She was seen as a monster: a child that had not been raised properly, and shared the thoughts of the criminals back in Iran. Of course, none of that was true, but she ended up suffering mentally. She became part of a group that shared the same thoughts as her, and they were quite interested in war and other conflicts.
The Truth or Reality
Waltz with Bashir and Persepolis are documentaries about the reality of war and how it really affects people’s lives. Although because of its animation, it does not seem real. Both films use animation to present the wars, in order to allow the audience to become more engaged with the story being told. An example of this would be in Waltz with Bashir: the entire move is presented in stylized and visually stimulating way, which can cause the audience to become disengaged with the idea that, what is being presented to them is actually not fiction. The director adds a video clip of the real massacre, the war, bodies of people lying everywhere, gun shots, people screaming at the very end of the movie to remind the audience that the war that took place and the story being told by the move is all, in fact, real.
The learning curves of these films are very dramatic in the sense that memory is suppressed, we see something, and we forget. Memory is not really trustable. The images shown in the films are memories, but since we cannot trust these memories, they could be unrealistic. For example, in the film Waltz with Bashir the common scene where Folman sees himself walking out of the water and onto the beach; this scene represents a realistic scene but in a very dreamy way, so that people would be confused until the very end about whether it really happened or not. In the film Persepolis there is also a scene where Marjane is at the airport (much older) and she has these flash backs of the war and what she lived through. These memories can also seem unrealistic because of the animation effect and just the fact that they are “memories” of the past. So, the learning experience through these films is that memories might not represent something that is the truth because everyone told a story of their past and ended up making it not the truth.
The world is a crazy place especially when war interferes with it. These films teach us a valuable lesson about how some people live in dangerous countries and how we are thankful of living in a free and excepting country and that’s why documentaries are the best way to explain the world; they are very informative, descriptive and they are often done by interview which makes it more like people’s own opinions. Although, people see the world as thinking of their own flaws and not about the world’s flaws. When it comes to war across the country, people who don’t go into politics do not pay much attention to it. Not only have these films related to war, they relate to religion and culture. For example, in the film Persepolis Marjane decides to wear something completely against her culture, so she then gets punished for doing so. All of these problems in the world create major crisis and won’t be resolved.
The message through these films would be that if we don’t keep these memories in our heads, then we would be doing the same errors again. We have a responsibility to keep these memories, especially when it comes to war where it’s always the same problems which has to do with culture, religion, etc. War is real, killing is real, death is real but in these films, people may seem to think that it’s unreal just like a dream.
Through the art of animation, both directors of each film were able to deliver well-developed films, documenting their lives and the wars that affected the main character in some way. Waltz with Bashir covers the life of Folman, who was once a part of the Israeli army, and played a role in the invasion of Lebanon by lighting up the night skies. However, not being able to accept his role, he manages to forget everything and move one with his life until he encounters a friend that brings up his nightmares of the war. Persepolis was an autobiography covering the life of Marjane, who lived in Iran during a time of great conflict, forcing her to flee her own country. The films aims at the importance of memory, and how war may is not as glorious as it is commonly portrayed.
Great job to all the members of this group! A very well-written blog entry. Much of what was discussed was covered in class, and you included important terminology. As a visual learner, I thought the short video clips were also great and enhanced the content of the text. When speaking about "realism", it was mentioned that traditional documentaries try to capture reality. This was a very interesting point because although the animation films take on another form, reality is presented in a different manner, and the story takes on a new dimension. I also particularly enjoyed the summaries of both Waltz with Bashir and Persepolis. They touched on most of the main aspects of the movies; however, having seen Perspepolis myself, perhaps there could have been a little more detail. For example, yes, she does undergo many struggles as a result of her origins, but she also undergoes many struggles as a normal teenage girl growing up. She experiences heartbreak, divorce and even a bit of depression. These are all contributing factors to her mental downfall, in addition to all the other difficulties she is living through. Lastly, some strong points were raised in the conclusion of this blog entry. We definitely have a responsibility to our memories because they can help ensure that errors do not re-occur. That being said, memories may sometimes not reflect the truth, as it was pointed out. Nevertheless, as both films demonstrate, one must always try to remember to the best of their abilities because through their stories, others will learn too.
ReplyDeleteLeigh Gantman
I think that the creators of these two documentaries chose animation because the topics are very serious. Animation is a way to create distance between the events and the viewers. When we were watching Waltz with Bashir in class, the mood only got tense when we watched the ending which was not animated. I don't think I would have enjoyed the documentary as much if it would have been non-animated because it would have been hard to see all the images of war, blood and death. (the animated version looked cool, in a way, just like a video game would).
ReplyDeleteStephanie Nicholls-Dempsey
Great job! I really like what you said concerning the explanation as to why the movies used animation. I have the same opinion, and I also agree that it enhanced the viewing experience for Waltz with Bashir. Although, I would like to add that maybe the film was animated for other reasons. You brought up a point, stating: "Although because of its animation, it does not seem real." I do see what you are saying. and while I do agree, there is more to it. I think that the animation represented something bigger. To me, it was as if it were the entire point of the documentary. Waltz with Bashir focused a lot on how people's memories are not always what they seem. And although they had experienced those memories once upon a time, the way they remember it can be completely different. Either because of the trauma they suffered, or it all went by so fast. The animation symbolizes, in my opinion, the hazy memories. The images were very lifelike and powerful, signifying that these events really did occur, but then again the memory is not always correct.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I thought you guys made a nice input on the blog! Great job!
Josh Hayes
Great job! I liked how you compared "Persepolis" and "Waltz with Bashir" in terms of how they play with memory through animation, mental bias and questionable accounts of real events. You said that "the message through these films would be that if we don’t keep these memories in our heads, then we would be doing the same errors again." Although this is true, I think the bigger, more meaningful message that the director wanted the viewer to be imparted with is how complicated we can be as people, and how sometimes our minds protect us from memories and images we would be better off without. This is shown in "Waltz with Bashir" well, as we see the main character try desperately to find a way around the walls his own mind has built.
ReplyDeleteLiam Shannon
Really amazing work. I love how you added videos to the blog because the majority of people would see 10 big paragraphs and wouldn't have the patience to read everything. It made the blog much more intriguing and interesting! Not only that, it gave me and most probably the viewers a better understanding of what these films were about. Especially since many people aren't familiar with "Persepolis," showing us the trailer was extremely important and you guys also described the movie very well. For example when you bring up that "in the film Persepolis Marjane decides to wear something completely against her culture, so she then gets punished for doing so." This brought up an idea to me that I never expressed in class. I think that these movies represent a frequently occurring problem that happens everyday in the world but it doesnt only happen due to politics and war. For example, everyone has been through a moment in their life when they have been pressured into doing something because they want to be like all the other members of the group, even if they don't truly believe in it. There has been people that haven't followed the "rules" of a certain group and have been punished. The sad thing is that this problem happens at all ages and in all countries in the world, whether it's a group of 5 year olds convincing their friend to steal a lollipop or an army commander instructing his soldiers to do something they can't go against. Overall, this blog was very enjoyable to read and provided excellent examples and information. Great job to all of you!
ReplyDeleteBrent Rosenstein
Really well done. I really enjoyed how while I was reading I was able to take mini breaks and watch the trailers that were provided or even the interview with Ari Folman. I found your synopsis of Persepolis to be really helpful because I personally have never seen this film however i seem to already know much about it. I always liked how I was able to read your blog and be able to understand everything that is being said since you introduced all the topics that we had spoken about in class. Anyways great job guys.
ReplyDeleteJonathan Banks
awesome job guys! First off I just wanted to say that I liked how you incorporated an interview with Ari Folman. It gave the entry another source of info, in that you get to see his intentions and ideas about the creation of the film. I agree with you guys that the use of animation allows the audience to become more engaged with the film, possibly because of the violent nature of what's happening. The film toys with the idea of realism- the animation sometimes making us question what is real, or what is a dream for example the blue lady on the water. Anyways, great job guys, you did a great job!
ReplyDelete^
DeleteKen H.H.
Great post!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing that is missing is an explanation of the presence in those two films of the pleasure of looking (scopophilia) at the cool animations and the creative visions of the film directions, and the pleasure of knowing (epistephilia) about two regions of the world and two cultures we may not have many contacts with. We are provided with an insider's vision (and what a vision!), which allows us to enlarge our relationship with the world.
I would have loved to see you try to apply the concepts we saw in class to the films with a little more depth. Maybe something to keep in mind for future comments, and for future entries!
Well done!
Sylvain
Nice job guys! I found your introduction rather catchy and also the overall quality of the writing was very good. I also liked how you incorporated the trailers for the two movies and the interview with Ari Folman which, as other mentioned, made the huge wall of text much less intimidating! Having seen Persepolis I can see how they were also a good tool for those who did not see the film to get a better understanding of how it visually presents things (a written description can only go so far). Overall it was a really good entry, good job!
ReplyDeleteSebastien Belliveau
It was a very well written blog and I believe the main concepts of the film were well captured. This group was able to find depth in an animation which some people may have found to be more difficult. There are not many corrections that would need to be made to this blog, besides tedious things such as the second to last paragraph was not indented. I agree that this documentary did do a good job of displaying the reality of war and as mentioned “we the audience start to get a glimpse of how terrible war can be.” At the end of the film when we see the live footage of the massacre in Lebanon, the film becomes much more powerful! Overall this was a very well written blog and this group was able to capture the key points; realism in comparison to fiction. Very well done!
ReplyDeleteNathalie Pearsall
great job guys! i love how you wrote the blog, it was easy to understand. i like how you did some research and added a video of the interview with Ari Folman. For the second movie Persepolis, i didn't think about comparing that one to Waltz with Bashir. i remember watching it in french class last year but i never thought about comparing the two and they do have things in common: both main characters are trying to tell their story by trying to remember what happened to them during a traumatic event in their lives. i like how both documentaires were in animation or else i personally find it would have been harder to watch if they weren't in animation.
ReplyDeleteCoralie Dowd
Great job on the blog! It is true that when soldiers go to war, there is a chance that they may come back with post-traumatic stress, when they will definitely come back with memories that they would like to forget. They try to repress these memories; however, when this happens small details get lost, changing the memory completely.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I liked how you guys posted Ari Forman’s interview. It strongly enhanced the content of your blog. For instance, the first question the woman asked Ari was, ‘‘Why present this film through animation?’’ Ari answered, ‘‘because there was no other way to present it.’’ This movie gave him a complete freedom, which I find fascinating.
Jason Carrier
A very well written blog; your group did a wonderful job of summarizing both films. I found it easy to understand what Persipolis was about, and to grasp its significance in relation to Waltz With Beshir. I agree that memory is easily manipulated and constantly changing; therefore I thought the reason why Ari Folman chose to make his film animated was to show how our memories are fuzzy and not always accurate. Also, if the film was in live action, the images of war would have been harder to watch and the viewer would have been concentrating on the harsh images, instead of the stories the interviewees were sharing. Animation provides the viewers with the pleasure of seeing (scopophilia) while the story itself, provides the viewers with the pleasure of knowing (epistephilia). All in all, I found this entry to be very informative.
ReplyDeleteErin Brown
Great job on the blog!The summary was very well done for both films. Waltz With Beshir was an animated film. The director, Air Folman decided to use animation, to ease the eyes of the viewers since he demonstrate a very important but what may seem to be disturbing a subject. War can be a very delicate subject that sadly not everyone is interested to know more about. However if Air Folman would of make is documentary realistc with real images of the war\conflict, an enormous amount of people would not have wanted to see the film. So I think that he as a director wanted to get is message across, and the best way he could get is message across is by using techniques of documentary films that would atract the public.
ReplyDeleteAnother aspect of the animation film, is that at the very end of the film, when he shows real images: of corpses and the women screaming and looks so divasted, Air Folman wants to show the reality and shocking images of the world outside our country.
Air Folman uses alot of scopophilia throughout the fil with animation but at the end he switchs to epistephilia, with the real life images, and to show the viewers, that thi was the reality and that war is very devastating event that no one wants to experience. He finishes by in a sense educating the viewers, to make them notice the atrocity of war.
Overall great blog!
Cynthia de Villers-Riel
The blog was done very well. It was written in a way that I did not have trouble following your thought process and, though I did not see everything the same way you did, I was able to understand why you wrote what you did. I found that the way that you were able to describe the films both the one I saw and the one I did not, was efficient to give me a feeling of what they were about and also let me see how your thoughts on Waltz With Bashir were different from mine. One thing that I found different between your interpretations and mine were that Boaz was not seeing the dogs how he thought they were, in my mind, but the dogs were the manifestation of his guilt and how it scares him and eats away at him. I also do not think the message is that we need to remember these things or they will happen again, but that memory is fickle and just because I do not remember it the same way that you do, does not mean that I am right or if I don't remember it, it doesn't mean it never happened.
ReplyDeleteOver all, well done.
Christopher Kwok
Good job, really enjoyed reading you guy's blog since it talks a lot about some concepts that I see the same way. Coming from a family that is half lebanese, for me those events are really real since my mom and her family lived in Lebanon during that time and saw those horrors. Yes I wasn't born yet but events like the massacre of Sabra in Shatila happens all the time in the middle east and that's why I feel concerned. I think the animation helps us keep track of the movie since it makes things a bit more interesting than reality (plus the fact that the animations are really well done) and at the same time add a bit of fantasy to the story overall. Also, Ari Folman had a good idea of showing us real footages to show us that this is real and that it really happened. I think he is also suffering of post traumatic stress from the atrocities he committed with the Israeli army in Lebanon and that is why he can't remember because all he wants is to forget those events. The only thing I don't agree with is when you guys say that war is horrible and that it is not only people defending with honour what they cherish. I think when someone comes into your country to kill you and your countrymen, well your pretty much defending your homeland, your culture and your values. As for the movie Persepolis, at first we can believe that this movie is all fiction and it was all invented from someone's head because of the, I would say, immaturity of its animation. But then, we end up finding out that this is Marjane Satrapi's autobiography and that she lived all those events back in Iran during the Islamic revolution. In both case, we have animations that are somewhat realistic and have a touch of fantasy but that describe real events that happened to both the directors of those movies.
ReplyDeleteFinally, you guys did a pretty good job understanding and explaining all those informations.