The Oscar odds for “Waltz With Bashir” are looking good. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Jan. 13 that the Israeli documentary is among nine finalists competing for five slots in the best foreign language film category at the 2009 Academy Awards. The nominees will be announced Thursday, Jan. 22.

That was the second piece of good news the film received this week; on Jan. 11, “Waltz” won the Golden Globe Award for best foreign film.

At the Beverly Hills ceremony, filmmaker Ari Folman dedicated the award to the babies born to his team members while the film was being made. He added that he hopes one day they will look at the film and the war it describes as an old video game with which they had nothing to do.

“Waltz With Bashir” is unorthodox as a documentary for its use of animation throughout the movie, only employing live-action footage in its final minutes. The film deals with Folman’s experience during the Lebanon War in 1982.

The film won six Ophir Awards (the “Israeli Oscars”), including best movie. — jta & jpost.com