13 feb 2026 mk2 Films Acquires Worldwide Rights to Ari Folman’s Acclaimed Masterpiece ‘Waltz with Bashir’, New 4K Restoration to Premiere in 2026

mk2 Films strengthens its commitment to auteur animation with the announcement, at the European Film Market 2026, of the acquisition of worldwide rights to Ari Folman’s landmark feature WALTZ WITH BASHIR. A major new 4K restoration of the film is currently underway.

The agreement concluded between Bridgit Folman Film Gang and mk2 Films will bring renewed focus to this milestone work of contemporary cinema. Premiering in Competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008, WALTZ WITH BASHIR transformed the cinematic landscape through its groundbreaking fusion of animation and documentary storytelling. The film went on to win the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and received an Academy Award nomination in the same category, becoming the first animated feature ever to achieve that distinction.

Internationally celebrated for its bold artistic vision, WALTZ WITH BASHIR remains a profoundly powerful exploration of memory, trauma and the enduring human consequences of war. Through a strikingly personal narrative, the film follows a former Israeli soldier’s quest to recover suppressed memories of his experience during the 1982 Lebanon War – a journey that resonates far beyond its specific historical context.

Nearly two decades after its original theatrical release, the film continues to be regarded as a defining work of 21st-century cinema. Its innovative visual language and emotional depth will be newly showcased through a meticulous 4K restoration, reaffirming its status as an essential big-screen experience. The film has been recognised in numerous major critical rankings, including The Guardian’s “100 Best Films of the 21st Century” and Empire’s “100 Best Films of World Cinema”, underscoring its lasting cultural and artistic significance. Critically, WALTZ WITH BASHIR enjoys exceptional acclaim, holding a 97% rating on Rotten Tomatoes – testament to its enduring impact and universal praise. The forthcoming restoration will offer a new generation of audiences the opportunity to discover this seminal work in cinemas for the first time.

As a leading international sales company, mk2 Films continues to champion innovative auteur animation. Its distinguished animation collection notably includes acclaimed titles such as MARS EXPRESS by Jérémie Périn, CALAMITY by Rémi Chayé, and THE INVENTOR by Jim Capobianco, and the upcoming MU YI by Julien Chheng, FLEUR by Rémi Chayé, and OUTFOXED! by Paul Bolger.