Yahav Winner

Yahav Winner (Hebrew: יהב וינר; 4 June 1986 – 7 October 2023) was an Israeli filmmaker, actor, producer and cinematographer. He was killed in the Kfar Aza massacre, part of the October 7 Hamas-led attack which sparked the 2023 Israel–Hamas War.

Winner graduated from the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio in 2014.^[1] He was also a graduate of the film department at Minshar School of Art.^[2]

Between 2014 and 2018 he was an actor in theatre (Habima and Kibbutz theatre) and in television.^[3] His short film Faith won the best students' film at the 2020 Solidarity Human Rights Film Festival,^[4] as well as best screenplay at the Little Wing Film Festival.^[5]

His short film Neurim was screened at Cinefondation in Cannes and at the Palm Springs Shortfest. His last film The Boy, focused on a father and son from a kibbutz near the Gaza strip facing incoming rocket fire and nearby combat, won the best cinematography prize at the 2023 Tel Aviv International Students Film Festival.^[6] Posthumously, The Boy and Winner won the best screenplay and Prix Interculturel awards at the 2023 Filmschoolfest Munich.^[7]

Winner worked at the Film and Television School of Sapir College as head of productions.^[8]

At the time of his death he completed filming and began editing of his first feature-length film, which he directed, wrote and also acted in. The film was made at Kfar Aza with Winner's guidance as director of fellow local residents, many of whom were murdered with him in the events of 7 October.^[9]

Winner was murdered at his home on 7 October 2023 in the Kfar Aza massacre by Hamas militants, while allowing his wife and one-month-old baby to find refuge. He was 37. Winner was initially considered missing and his body was identified on 11 October.^[10] It was later disclosed he was killed by a single shot to his head while stalling the militants.^[11]

In November 2023, his last completed film The Boy began screening nationally at Israeli cinemas with proceeds dedicated to his widow and child.^[12] It also premiered internationally in various film festivals.^[13][14]

• The Boy (2023, Hebrew title: הילד) - Writer, director and producer^[15]
• Single Light (2023, Hebrew title: אור פנס יחיד) - Casting^[16]
• Happiness and Rejoicing (2022) - Cinematographer^[17]
• Indian Grave (2021, Hebrew title: קבר אינדיאני) - Director, writer and actor^[18]
• Deep Breaths (2020, Hebrew title: שלוש נשימות עמוקות)^[19]
• Neurim (2020, Hebrew title: נעורים) - Producer^[20]
• Night Out (2019, Hebrew title: יציאה) - Actor^[21]
• Faith (2019) - Writer and director^[22]
• The Day After I'm Gone (2019, Hebrew title: היום שאחרי לכתי) - Actor^[23]
• Little Earthquakes (2016, Hebrew title: רעידות אדמה קטנות) - Actor^[24]
• The Eulogy of Pini Gurevich (2015, Hebrew title: ההספד של פיני גורביץ) - Actor^[25]
• Capricious Manifest (2014, Hebrew title: מניפסט קפריזי) - Actor^[26]
• The Plan (2012) - Actor^[27]

• Casualties of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
• List of Israeli actors