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Folman's critically-acclaimed film traces the author's journey to put together his memories from his time as an Israeli soldier during the invasion of Lebanon in 1982, and later the massacres at the Sabra and Shatilla refugee camps in Beirut.

The film uses a striking combination of frame-by-frame and computer generated animation to create a powerful and at times surreal portrayal of war and the way memory plays tricks on the mind.

In his acceptance speech, Folman dedicated the prize to "the eight production babies" that were born over the four years it took to make the film, saying he hoped that when the children grew up they would view the film as "an ancient video game that has nothing to do with their life whatsoever."

After the ceremony, Folman was still trying to come to terms with his win. "It felt like one big wedding," he said, admitting he was still in a state of shock.

Asked by foreign journalists whether he would be able to make the shift from writing "war films" to "peace films," the Waltz with Bashir director said: "My film is anti-war, and therefore would, sadly, always be relevant."

The film's narrative unravels as Folman travels to Europe and across Israel interviewing fellow soldiers who he fought with in Lebanon, all of whom play themselves and voice their own characters. As he interviews his friends he begins to piece together his own memories from the war, which he had all but forgotten over the years.

The film has already garnered a number of prizes this year, including being named the best film of the year by the National Society of Film Critics.

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