09/10/2024 - The feature is the final, deeply personal work by the Israeli filmmaker, who was murdered during the attack on the kibbutz where the film was shot

Actress Shay-Lee Atari and director Yahav Winner on the set of Kibbutz Legend

The deeply personal and reflective drama film Kibbutz Legend, directed by late Israeli filmmaker Yahav Winner (1986-2023), has entered its post-production phase. This marks Winner’s debut and tragically final feature film, following his untimely death during the attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where the film was shot earlier in the year. The project now stands as both a poignant piece of cinema and a testament to the filmmaker’s legacy, providing a last, haunting glimpse of the kibbutz before the catastrophic events of October 2023. He wrote, directed and starred in the film alongside his wife, Shay-Lee Atari.

Set in Kibbutz Kfar Aza, the story revolves around Adam, a struggling actor, and his wife, former singer Shelly, who is recovering from an accident that has left her physically disabled while pregnant with their first child. The couple returns to Adam’s childhood home at the kibbutz, attempting to rebuild their lives while facing personal and professional setbacks. Adam, recently fired from a television show, grapples with his failing career, while Shelly wrestles with doubts about motherhood and her decision to return to the communal life of the kibbutz.

The narrative is anchored in the couple's involvement in the kibbutz's traditional Passover play, an annual event of cultural and symbolic importance. As they co-direct the production, they uncover hidden desires and fears within the kibbutz community, all while contending with the ever-present threat of rocket fire from nearby Gaza. The film deftly captures the tension between the peaceful life within the kibbutz and the external dangers threatening its stability.

Yahav Winner blends his poetic visual sensibility with a story of resilience, community and belonging. His direction emphasises long, static shots and slow, deliberate camera movements, creating a reflective tone that juxtaposes the vibrant, serene setting of the kibbutz with the underlying menace posed by the ongoing conflict in the region.

Winner, an accomplished filmmaker known for his award-winning short films The Boy and Three Breaths, was regarded as a rising talent in Israeli cinema. The Boy won Best Short Film at the Israeli Film Academy Awards in 2024, further cementing his reputation for exploring personal and communal struggles with nuance and depth. With Kibbutz Legend, Winner’s final work extends those themes, offering a deeply human portrayal of life in a kibbutz near Gaza.

The film’s production is overseen by Aviv Ben Shlush, Winner’s cousin, and producer Lee Kuperman Ben Shlush, both of whom are ensuring the movie’s completion as a tribute to Winner’s memory and their shared roots in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Editing was scheduled to begin on 7 October 2024 – exactly one year after the attack that claimed Winner’s life, adding an extra layer of emotional significance to the project. Shay-Lee Atari, Winner’s widow, is handling the editing process.

Kibbutz Legend is expected to make its way onto the international festival circuit once completed, with its universal themes of love, identity and perseverance likely to resonate with audiences globally, and is being produced by ZOA Films Ltd, with support from the Israel Cinema Project – Rabinovich Foundation.