Prompted by his friend’s recurring dreams and intrigued by his own lack thereof, filmmaker Ari Folman embarks on a journey to find the truth. The riddle: What really happened over 20 years earlier during the first Lebanon War? Waltz With Bashir is the reality he finds and the memories he can no longer forget.

The surreal animation illustrates the bizarre and dreamlike quality of memory. It hides the reality in something fantastic. At the same time, Folman recognizes that the truth about the destruction and trauma caused by wars does not stay hidden forever.

Grade: B

Waltz with Bashir releases in select theaters Dec. 25.