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Waltz with Bashir directed by Ari Folman has been submitted by Israel as its contender for the foreign language Oscar.

The film is also eligible for animated feature but is out of the documentary category. The film uses hand drawn animation to illustrate Folman’s interviews with participants of the 1980s Lebanese war, including the massacre of Palestinian civilians.

This is a huge step for cinema after Israel sanctioned this film even after it shows it in bad light. Bashir was videotaped and sound recorded first, then hand drawn from start to finish, no rotoscoping was involved.

The Sony Picture Classics release domestically, Bashir won best picture Tuesday at the ophir awards in Tel Aviv. The usual tradition is whoever wins this award is sent to the Oscars. Last year The Band’s Visit was disqualified by the Academy because its dialogue was more than 50 percent in English.

Bashir has been screened at several festivals this past year starting with Cannes, it also played at Telluride and Toronto before the New York Film Festival.

The final entries to the academy are expected to reach before October 1 st. This time the Academy has asked 96 countries to submit their films for the foreign language Oscars.

The nomination will be announced on January 22 nd and the 81 st Academy Awards will be presented on February 22 nd at the Kodak Theatre.