Israeli Director Yahav Winner Found Dead After Hamas Terrorist Attack

Israeli soldiers have recovered the body of The Boy director Yahav Winner after he fought off an attack on his home by Hamas terrorists in the southern Israeli kibbutz Kfar Aza on Oct. 7, only to be kidnapped and eventually killed.

On Thursday, Israeli sales and distribution company Go2Films confirmed the death of the Israeli director to The Hollywood Reporter after the retrieval of his remains on Wednesday.

“It is with immense sorrow that Go2Films shares the devastating news that our beloved filmmaker, Yahav Winner, was found dead in Kfar Aza yesterday evening, after three days in which he was considered missing. The loss of Yahav has left an indelible void in our hearts, and we extend our deepest condolences to Shaylee Atary, his wife, his family, friends and all who were touched by his artistry and spirit,” Go2Films said in a statement.

His wife, filmmaker Shaylee Atary, paid tribute to her late husband in an emotional statement: “From the testimony of the soldier who found Yahav’s body, I now know that Yahav was killed by a single shot in his head. He didn’t suffer. I also know that he not only blocked the window of our bedroom, but also tried to lock the door of the house with Shaya’s stroller to stall the terrorists. He didn’t run away. He kept trying to save us. That was my husband.”

Winner’s struggles with the Hamas terrorists as they attempted to enter the house through a bedroom window apparently allowed his wife and their 1-month old baby, Shaya, to escape and eventually be rescued by Israeli soldiers after over a day in hiding without food and water.

Winner’s short films include The Boy, about a father and son from a kibbutz near the Gaza strip facing incoming rocket fire and nearby combat. The film earned the best cinematography prize at the 2023 Tel Aviv International Students Film Festival.

Winner also produced the 2020 short Neurim, directed by Atary and which screened in Cannes as part of the Cinefondation section and the Palm Springs ShortFest.

“In the wake of this tragedy, we find solace in the thought of celebrating Yahav’s life and work. Yahav’s short film, The Boy, unfolds a narrative that sheds light on life in Kfar Aza, the kibbutz of his upbringing, and numerous other Israeli villages along the border with Gaza. These communities have borne the heavy weight of losses during the ongoing attacks,” Go2Films added.