Film of the year

It is almost a tradition now. Today, on the day of the BAFTAs I reveal my own film of the year. Which, again sticking with tradition, is often a film that hardly features at all on the list of BAFTA or Oscar nominations.

So (with no fanfare as it doesn't really work in the written form) my film of 2008 is...

Waltz with Bashir.

If you've not heard of it there is a trailer at the bottom of this post. Using a very rare genre - the animated documentary - this film made a massive impression on me. The official nominees are all great films too. But this one was different, and the title of this blog should tell you that counts a lot for me. It is nominated for 'best animation' and 'best film not in the english language' but I think it stands above those categories.

It shows daring and courage to even get it made and is told with humility. It looks different, eye catching and with a boldness that reflects the ambition. The story telling structure, one man's journey to uncover his past with a series of interviews that is not allowed to film, is a compelling one AND suits the form perfectly.

I recommend it to you all. Check it out if you can. You can preorder a DVD or Blu-ray now.

A close runner up for me was Man on Wire.