Yair Qedar
{{Short description|Israeli filmmaker (born 1969)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Yair Qedar
| native_name = יאיר קדר
| native_name_lang = he
| image = Yair Qedar.jpg
| caption = Portrait of Yair Qedar
| birth_name = Yair Qedar
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|mf=yes|1969|6|13}}
| birth_place = Afula, Israel
| occupation = {{hlist|Film director|film producer|screenwriter|social activist|journalist}}
| years_active = 2003–present
| works = Gay Days (film)
| style = {{hlist|Documentary}}
| spouse =
| children =
| father =
| awards = Ophir Award (nominated)
| signature =
}}
Yair Qedar ({{langx|he|יאיר קדר}}; born June 13, 1969) is an Israeli documentary filmmaker, social activist and former journalist.{{Cite web |title=כתבה במקור ראשון על פעיל זכויות הקהילה הגאה יאיר קדר |url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/54/ART2/449/878.html |access-date=2019-06-29 |website=www.makorrishon.co.il}} In his project "the Hebrews", he had been Chronicling the lives of Jewish and Israeli figures of the modern Hebrew literary canon,{{Cite news |title=יאיר קדר ודינה פרלשטיין — זוכי פרס שר החינוך לתרבות יהודית בתחום הקולנוע |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/cinema/1.3014715 |access-date=2022-05-22}} Qedar's 19 feature-length documentaries have all premiered at film festivals and have won the director over 35 prizes.{{Cite web |title=The Hebrews |url=https://www.jmberlin.de/en/hebrews |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Jewish Museum Berlin |language=en}} Also, Qedar is a leading LGBTQ activist. He created several Queer films and the first Israeli LGBTQ newspaper.
Career
Since the early nineties, Qedar has been involved in journalistic writing and editing. He has written for Schocken, Haaretz, and Davar, and served as editor and deputy editor of travel magazine Masa Acher.{{Cite book |last=Gold |first=Herbert |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lMGN98LmDPcC&q=Yair+qedar |title=The Best Travel Writing 2006: True Stories from Around the World |date=2006 |publisher=Travelers' Tales |isbn=978-1-932361-31-5 |language=en}} Qedar has won the Allied Prize for World Jewish Press and the European Union Award for Journalistic Reporting in the Mediterranean Basin.{{Cite news |title=קצרים |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/1.1032563 |access-date=2022-05-22}}
After studying 20th century Hebrew literature at Tel Aviv University, Qedar launched Ha'Ivrim (Hebrew: The Hebrews), a project in which Qedar makes one-hour biographical documentaries about writers and poets part of the Hebrew literary canon. The films are generally cinematic portraits, and are interspersed with archival footage, interviews, sound fragments and contemporary animation.{{Cite news |title=סדרה תיעודית על 12 סופרים ומשוררים |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/1.1490131 |access-date=2022-05-22}}{{Cite news |title=להציל את התרבות העברית בעזרת האינטרנט |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/news/education/.premium-1.1976251 |access-date=2022-05-22}} The documentaries have all premiered in film festivals, aired on Israeli TV, and circulated far and wide in cinemas, cinematheques, community and cultural centers, in Israel and around the world{{Cite web |title=The Hebrews |url=https://www.jmberlin.de/en/hebrews |access-date=2019-08-12 |website=Jewish Museum Berlin |language=en}} (United States and Canada, Europe, Australia and Russia), earning multiple awards.
Qedar released his debut feature film Gay Days in 2009.{{Cite web |title=Pride Month in Tel Aviv, Gay Pride Parade: Opening Event |url=http://www.gaytlvguide.com/component/content/article/12-fp-articles/17-june-2009-pride-month-in-tel-aviv |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090627074357/http://www.gaytlvguide.com/component/content/article/12-fp-articles/17-june-2009-pride-month-in-tel-aviv |archive-date=2009-06-27 |access-date=2009-06-23 |publisher=Gay TV Guide}} The documentary documents the emergence of the LGBT community in Israel and is based on his own personal story along with the stories of other prominent gay men and women in Israel (Gal Uchovsky, Eytan Fox, Dana International, Offer Nissim, among others).{{Cite news |title=7 Great Events Around Israel Not to Be Missed |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/1.5068710 |access-date=2022-05-22}}{{Cite news |title=מהארון לכיכר העיר |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/1.3342213 |access-date=2022-05-22}} It premiered in May 2009 in Tel Aviv at the Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=Gay Days in Docaviv festival |url=http://www.docaviv.co.il/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=137&Itemid=31 |access-date=2009-06-23 |publisher=Doc Aviv |language=he}} and was also screened at the official opening of the Tel Aviv Gay Pride.{{Cite book |last=Cohen |first=Nir |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WaMyfGLW5vIC&dq=Yair+qedar&pg=PA214 |title=Soldiers, Rebels, and Drifters: Gay Representation in Israeli Cinema |date=2011-10-15 |publisher=Wayne State University Press |isbn=978-0-8143-3709-7 |language=en}} The film was the official selection of the Tel Aviv International LGBT Film Festival (TLVFest) and of the Panorama section at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=Hazman havarod {{!}} Gay Days |url=https://www.berlinale.de/en/archive/jahresarchive/2010/02_programm_2010/02_filmdatenblatt_2010_20102003.html#tab=filmStills |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=www.berlinale.de |language=en}}
Qedar's The 5 Houses of Leah Goldberg (2011), chronicles the life of the poet Leah Goldberg. The documentary was the official selection of Docaviv Film Festival 2011 and Doc Aviv Galilee 2011.{{Cite news |title=האשה האמיתית מאחורי המיתוס של לאה גולדברג |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/1.1174228 |access-date=2022-05-22}} It won three prizes at the 2011 Israeli Documentary Film Competition: for editing (for Ayelet Ofarim), soundtrack design (for Aviv Aldama) and original music (for Eli Sorni and Carolina).{{Cite news |title="הדירה" קטף 3 פרסים בטקס פרסי הקולנוע הדוקומנטרי |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/cinema/1.1568282 |access-date=2022-05-22}} The film was sponsored by the Israeli Film Service, The New Foundation for Cinema and TV and The Second Authority for Television and Radio.{{cite web |title=家族連れで利用できる本格イタリアン｜接待で利用できる高級料亭 |url=http://www.leagoldbergmovie.com/ |access-date=27 February 2017 |work=LeaGoldbergMovie.com |archive-date=20 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920143920/http://www.leagoldbergmovie.com/ |url-status=dead }} Together with Gideon Tikotsky, he initiated the celebrations of the centenary of Leah Goldberg, during which dozens of cultural events and initiatives were held.
The Seven Tapes (2012), about the life of the poet Yona Wallach, was official selected at the 2012 Jerusalem Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=THE SEVEN TAPES |url=https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/the-seven-tapes |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=pro.festivalscope.com}} Competing at the Israeli Documentary Film Competition,{{Cite news |title=Jerusalem Film Fest to Feature Tribute to Antonioni |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/culture/jerusalem-film-fest-to-feature-tribute-to-antonioni-1.5178052 |access-date=2022-05-22}} it won Best Film of 2012 and Best Soundtrack of 2012. It was also screened at the Sha'ar International Poetry Festival in Haifa.{{Cite news |title=News in Brief |language=en |work=Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news-in-brief-1.5299920 |access-date=2022-05-22}} The film was sponsored by the Israeli Film Service, Channel 8 and The Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts.{{Cite news |title=יונה וולך מפרקת ובונה מחדש מיתוס |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/cinema/jerusalemfilmfestival/1.1749044 |access-date=2022-05-22}}
Bialik, King of the Jews, covering the life and art of poet Hayim Nahman Bialik, was an official selection at the Docaviv Film Festival{{Cite news |last=ynet |date=2014-05-08 |title=נינט תחת כנפי ביאליק: הסרט "מלך היהודים" |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4517512,00.html |access-date=2022-05-22}}{{Cite web |title=Truth is more alluring fiction |url=https://www.jpost.com/arts-and-culture/entertainment/truth-is-more-alluring-fiction-350330 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=24 April 2014 |language=en-US}} and at the Miami Jewish Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=Bialik: King of the Jews |url=https://miamijewishfilmfestival.org/films/2015/bialik_king_of_the_jews |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Miami Jewish Film Festival |language=en}} It premiered in the spring of 2014 in cinematheques and on Israeli Channel 8.{{Cite news |last=שירם |first=מתן |date=2014-06-17 |title=הסרט "ביאליק - מלך היהודים": מפגש מחודש עם המשורר הלאומי |work=Globes |url=https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1000946996 |access-date=2022-05-22}} It was nominated as Best Documentary Film at the 2014 Israeli Documentary Competition.{{Cite news |title="מלך היהודים": ביאליק בהילוך מהיר |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/cinema/docaviv/.premium-1.2319752 |access-date=2022-05-22}}
In 2015, Qedar released The Awakener, the story of Yosef Haim Brenner,{{Cite news |title=מי אתה, יוסף חיים ברנר? סודותיו ותשוקותיו של גדול הסופרים העבריים |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/literature/.premium-MAGAZINE-1.2631029 |access-date=2022-05-22}} and Zelda - A Simple Woman, on the life and work of the poet Zelda Mishkovsky. The Awakener was an official selection at the 2015 Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival while Zelda, A Simple Woman was an official selection at the 2015 Jerusalem Film Festival, where it won the Jewish Experience Award,{{Cite web |title=2015 Festival |url=https://jer-cin.org.il/en/article/6793 |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=Jerusalem Cinematheque – Israel Film Archive |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=2015 Festival |url=https://jff.org.il/en/article/6793 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Jerusalem Film Festival |language=en}} the Jewish International Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=Jewish International Film Festival The Hebrews - Zelda / Rachel (Ha Ivrim) - |url=https://www.jiff.com.au/films/the-hebrews-zelda-rachel# |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=www.jiff.com.au}} and the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=The Hebrews: Zelda. A Simple Woman - WJFF |url=https://wjff.pl/en/film/the-hebrews-zelda-a-simple-woman/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=wjff.pl}} It also won the Lia van Leer Award for Films about Jewish Heritage.{{Cite web |last=Grater2015-07-17T16:07:00+01:00 |first=Tom |title='Tikkun', 'Hotline' win in Jerusalem |url=https://www.screendaily.com/jerusalem/tikkun-hotline-win-in-jerusalem/5090642.article |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Screen |language=en}} The films were sponsored by the Israeli Film Service, The Avi Chai Foundation, Channel 1 and The Makor Foundation.{{Cite web |title=The Awakener - The Story of YH Brenner |url=https://go2films.com/films/the-awakener-the-story-of-yh-brenner/ |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=go2films |language=en-US}}
From 2015 to 2017, Qedar collaborated with actor Ilan Peled, co-directing and producing the mockumentary mini-series Vanished, about the marginalization and discrimination of female artists in Israel.{{Cite web |title=It's time for the Jewish Film Festival |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/its-time-for-the-jewish-film-festival-476336 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=23 December 2016 |language=en-US}} The series' first film, Lilian (about a fictional poet),{{Cite web |title=Past and present on the small screen |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/past-and-present-on-the-small-screen-478261 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=12 January 2017 |language=en-US}} was screened at the 2016 Haifa Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=Lilian. Poetess |url=https://www.haifaff.co.il/eng/Films/5950/Lilian._Poetess |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Haifa 38th International Film Festival |language=en}} where it won the first prize in the documentary competition,{{Cite web |title=הזוכים בפסטיבל חיפה, 2016 |date=23 October 2016 |url=http://cinemascope.co.il/archives/25519}} the Rozalia Katz Award for Best Documentary Film.{{Cite web |last=Mitchell2016-10-24T13:41:00+01:00 |first=Wendy |title=Haifa awards go to 'Personal Affairs,' 'The Distinguished Citizen' |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/haifa-awards-go-to-personal-affairs-the-distinguished-citizen/5110615.article |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=Screen |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Two films by Palestinian women win top prizes at Haifa |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/two-films-by-palestinian-women-win-top-prizes-at-haifa-470855 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=25 October 2016 |language=en-US}} The move was criticized, and many called for the film's disqualification, claiming it did not meet the criteria of the genre. However, the festival management refused to do so.{{Cite news |title=ביקורת על מועמדותו של סרט מוקומנטרי לפרס אופיר לסרט התיעודי הקצר |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/cinema/1.4390078 |access-date=2022-05-22}} In 2017, it was nominated for an Ophir Award. The nomination was controversial, as the film deals with a fictional character. Gidi Orsher, a member of the board of the Film Academy, told Haaretz that in his eyes the film was not a documentary in any way, saying "If it misses like a duck and measures like a duck and it tastes like a duck - then it's probably a duck. For a movie to be documentary it has to be about real and uninvented characters. You can make a documentary about Superman but you can not determine that Superman is a real character." The series' second film, Yona, followed a Yemenite dancer, and was an official selection at the 2016 Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival. The series' final film, Bebe, about fictional transgender actress, was an official selection of the 2017 Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival.{{Cite web |title=The 12th TLV Fest showcases LGBT film productions from Israel, abroad |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/the-12th-tlv-fest-showcases-lgbt-film-productions-from-israel-abroad-494166 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=28 May 2017 |language=en-US}}
In 2018, Qedar released Vogel Lost Vogel, a film documenting the life and work of David Fogel. It was screened at the Haifa Film Festival, where it received a special mention.{{Cite news |title="איבד פוגל את פוגל": 53 דקות מופתיות על איש שהיה חידה |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/television/tv-review/.premium-1.6659624 |access-date=2022-05-22}}
Following Israeli writer and social activist Amos Oz's death in 2018, Qedar directed and produced The Fourth Window, a documentary unveiling the life, work and tragedies of Amos Oz's life.{{Cite web |title=Yair Qedar, Director of "4th Window" The tragic story of Amos Oz (Hebrew) |url=https://www.sbs.com.au/language/english/audio/yair-qedar-director-of-4th-window-the-tragic-story-of-amos-oz-hebrew |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=SBS Your Language |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Review: The Fourth Window |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/406910/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Cineuropa - the best of european cinema |date=6 July 2021 |language=en}} Sponsored by Kan, Arte ZDF, and SVT, it was officially selected at the 2021 Thessaloniki Film Festival,{{Citation |title=The Fourth Window |url=https://www.filmfestival.gr/en/movie/movie/13517 |language=en-gb |access-date=2021-06-19}} the 2021 Docaviv Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=The Fourth Window – Docaviv 2021 |url=https://www.docaviv.co.il/2021-en/events/the-fourth-window-5/ |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=www.docaviv.co.il |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Dalton2021-05-04T12:08:00+01:00 |first=Ben |title=Docaviv sets on-site format, Israeli Competition titles (exclusive) |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/docaviv-sets-on-site-format-israeli-competition-titles-exclusive/5159359.article |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Screen |language=en}} the 2021 DocuText Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=National Library documentary film festival returns between August 15–19 |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/national-library-documentary-film-festival-returns-between-august-15-19-676380 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |date=10 August 2021 |language=en-US}} the 2021 Warsaw International Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=35th Israel Film Festival in LA unveils hybrid in-person & online screening line-up - Sponsored Content {{!}} The Times of Israel |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/spotlight/35th-israel-film-festival-in-la-unveils-hybrid-in-person-online-screening-line-up/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}} and the 2021 Mumbai International Film Festival, where it won Best Documentary. It also won a Special Mention Award at the Weil Bloch Film Awards.{{Cite web |last=Bogen |first=Amir |date=2021-05-13 |title=Weil Bloch Winners Announced by The NFCT |url=https://aicf.org/weil-bloch-winner-announced-by-the-nfct/ |access-date=2021-06-19 |website=America-Israel Cultural Foundation |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=פרס הקולנוע השנתי וייל בלוך בנושא חברה משותפת בישראל {{!}} NFCT |url=https://nfct.org.il/wb-film-award/ |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=nfct.org.il |date=28 July 2021 |language=he-IL}}
In 2021, Qedar released The Last Chapter of AB Yehoshua, a documentary about A. B. Yehoshua. It was an official selection at the 2021 Jerusalem Film Festival,{{Cite web |title=Film portraying A. B. Yehoshua's life screens at Jerusalem Film Festival |url=https://www.jpost.com/must/mustsee/film-portraying-life-of-a-b-yehoshua-screens-at-jerusalem-film-festival-678765 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en-US}} where it competed in the Diamond Competition for Israeli Documentary Films.{{Cite web |title=Diamond Competition for Israeli Documentary Films |url=https://jff.org.il/en/lobby/diamond-competition-israeli-documentary-films |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=Jerusalem Film Festival |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=25 July 2021 |title='Big Eyes' to highlight Jerusalem Film Festival's Israel programming |url=https://www.jpost.com/j-spot/big-eyes-to-highlight-jerusalem-film-festivals-israel-programming-674893 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en-US}} The film was sponsored by Kan{{Cite web |date=30 September 2021 |title=Lives of Amos Oz, A.B. Yehoshua illuminated in new films |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/lives-of-amos-oz-ab-yehoshua-illuminated-in-new-films-680762 |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=The Jerusalem Post {{!}} JPost.com |language=en-US}} and The Rabinovich Foundation for the Arts.
His new film about Sigmund Freud - Outsider. Freud (2025) is a film exploring the life of Sigmund Freud, written, directed, and produced by Qedar. Combining documentary storytelling with animation, the film delves into Freud’s legacy through themes of exile, identity, and resistance. It was produced with the support of Kan (Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation), ORF, ARTE-RBB, SVT, the New Fund for Cinema and Television, the Gesher–Rothschild Foundation initiative “Cinema Spirit,” the Sienna Fund, the Israeli Ministry of Culture, and CoPro. The film features animation by Tal Kantor and Moshe Zilbernagel, editing by Noit Geva and Tomi Shlez-Shafrir. The film won the Pitching Award at the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, the Best Film Award at the Mannheim Film and Arts Festival in Germany, and the Best Documentary/Animation Film prizes at both the Jaipur International Film Festival and the New Delhi Film Festival in 2025. It was also part of the official selection at the Haifa International Film Festival.
Qedar has taught film at the Sam Spiegel School in Jerusalem, and at various academic institutions, including the Shenkar School, Beit Berl College and Emek Yizrael College.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}
Activism
In addition to his work as a documentary maker, Qedar is a prominent member of the Israeli LGBT community. He founded the country's first LGBT newspaper HaZman HaVarod (Pink Times),{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ftdNAQAAIAAJ&q=Yair+qedar |title=The Nation |date=1999 |publisher=Nation Company |language=en}} where he served as editor.{{Cite web |date=2009-01-04 |title=Out In The Streets {{!}} Print Article {{!}} Newsweek.com |website=Newsweek |url=http://www.newsweek.com/id/93016/output/print |access-date=2022-05-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090104212820/http://www.newsweek.com/id/93016/output/print |archive-date=2009-01-04 }} He also served as the editor-in-chief of Another Journey magazine.
Qedar was founding editor of Pink Time, Israel's first gay, lesbian and transgender newspaper,{{Cite news |last=Dennis |first=Mark |date=July 6, 1998 |title=Out in the Streets |publisher=Newsweek}} writes in various publications, such as Haaretz, Yedioth Ahronoth, Masa Acher, and is recipient of various journalistic prizes, including winner of the B'nai B'rith World Center Award for Journalism in 2003, and Euromed Heritage Journalistic Award in 2005 and 2006.{{Cite web |title=Winner of the Ansamed special prize |url=http://www.euromedheritage.net/old/award/award2005/winners_en.htm |access-date=23 June 2009 |work=euromedheritage.net}}{{Cite web |title=2005 Euromed Heritage Journalistic Awards |url=http://www.euromedheritage.net/old/award/award2005/winners_en.htm |access-date=23 June 2009 |publisher=Euromed Heritage}}{{Cite web |title=EUROMED HERITAGE Journalistic Award Second Edition 2006 |url=http://www.delsyr.ec.europa.eu/en/whatsnew_new/detail.asp?id=201 |access-date=23 June 2009 |work=delsyr.ec.europa.eu |archive-date=28 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170228163920/http://www.delsyr.ec.europa.eu/en/whatsnew_new/detail.asp?id=201 |url-status=dead }}
In 2003, Qedar edited the first gay theatre show in Israel in 1994, as well as Beyond Sexuality, an anthology of gay and lesbian studies.{{Cite book |last=Hagay-Frey |first=Alona |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yfN5DwAAQBAJ&dq=Yair+qedar&pg=PA171 |title=Sex and Gender Crimes in the New International Law: Past, Present, Future |date=2011-06-22 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-21593-1 |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2003-11-24 |title=הגבולות השבריריים של הגדרת המיניות האנושית |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/misc/1.926955 |access-date=2022-05-22}} In 2010, alongside Yossi Berg, he co-founded Rainbow Families Organization, aimed at promoting the rights, understanding and position of LGBT families in Israel.{{Cite web |date=2010-12-10 |title=אודות |url=https://keshetfamilies.wordpress.com/%d7%a2%d7%9c-%d7%90%d7%95%d7%93%d7%95%d7%aa/ |access-date=2019-08-12 |website=משפחות הקשת |language=he-IL}}
His debut documentary Gay Days depicts Israel's so-called "pink revolution".
In 2021, he and his partners launched the Proud Community Heritage Project.{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Murtaza Ali |date=2023-04-22 |title=I'm happy to make films about many, many people: Israeli filmmaker Yair Qedar |url=https://sundayguardianlive.com/culture/im-happy-to-make-films-about-many-many-people-israeli-filmmaker-yair-qedar |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=The Sunday Guardian Live |language=en-US}}
Filmography
Personal life
Kedar was born and raised in Afula. He attended Tel Aviv University in the 1990s,{{Cite web |title=YAIR KEDAR - The Face - Haaretz |url=https://www.haaretz.com/st/inter/Heng/magazine/theFace/f1503/panime.html |access-date=2022-05-22 |website=www.haaretz.com}} graduating with a bachelor's and master's degree in Hebrew literature.
In 2003, his son Michael Ron Qedar was born, in joint parenting with journalist Zahara Ron. In 2017 he married Gidon Yona in a civil marriage in Denmark, which was later recognized by the Israeli Ministry of the Interior.
Qedar lives in Tel Aviv.
Awards and accolades
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Award !Notes |
| 2003
|Bnei Brith Award for Jewish journalistic achievement | - |
| 2005
|European Union Award for Journalistic Reporting in the Mediterranean Basin | - |
| rowspan="2" |2011
|Israeli Documentary Film Competition Sound Design award |for 5 Houses of Leah Goldberg |
| Israeli Documentary Film Competition Editing Award
|for 5 Houses of Leah Goldberg |
| rowspan="3" |2012
|Documentary Film Competition Award for Best Documentary Film on behalf of the Documentary Filmmakers' Forum |for The Seven Tapes |
| Documentary Film Competition Award for Original Music on behalf of the Documentary Filmmakers' Forum
|for The Seven Tapes |
| Documentary Film Competition Award for Soundtrack Design on behalf of the Documentary Filmmakers' Forum
|for The Seven Tapes |
| rowspan="2" |2015
|The Jewish Experience Award at the Jerusalem Film Festival |for Zelda, A Simple Woman |
| Border Breakthrough Film Award at Southern Festival
|for A Song of Loves |
| rowspan="2" |2016
|Minister of Education Award for Jewish Culture in the Field of Cinema |for The Hebrews, alongside filmmaker Dina Perlstein |
| Rozalia Katz Award for Best Documentary Film at the Haifa Film Festival
|for Lilian, alongside Ilan Peled |
| 2017
|Ophir Award for Best Short Documentary |{{Nominated}} |
| rowspan="3" |2018
|First prize in the Jewish Experience competition at the Jerusalem Film Festival |for Black Honey |
| Special Mention at the Haifa Festival
|for Vogel Lost Vogel |
| Audience Favorite Award at the Israeli Film Festival in Los Angeles
|for Black Honey |
| rowspan="4" |2019
|Best Music Award at the Israeli Documentary Film Competition |for the second season of The Hebrews |
| Soundtrack Design Award at the Israeli Documentary Film Competition
|for the second season of The Hebrews |
| Best Documentary Series Award at the Israeli Documentary Film Competition
|for the second season of The Hebrews |
| Chicago International Film Festival Audience Favorite Award
|for Black Honey |
| rowspan="2" |2021
|Special Mention at the Weil Bloch Film Awards |for The Fourth Window |
| Mumbai International Film Festival Best Documentary
|for The Fourth Window |
| 2023
|Birmingham Film & Television Festival Best Documentary |for The Last Chapter of AB Yehoshua |
| 2024
|Special mention from the Association of Hebrew and Writers his contribution to Hebrew literature. |
| 2024
|Winner of Icon Docs award, Munich-Doc festival |for the film "The Other Freud". |
| 2025
| Best feature documentary/animation prize Jaipur film festival |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
| Best feature documentary/animation prize New Delhi film festival |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
| Special mention Israeli film festival Paris |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
| Best documentary Cine Choice Awards - Los Angeles |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
|Critique choice in Bangkok Movie Awards |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
|Sundarban International Film Festival |for "Outsider. Freud". |
| 2025
|Massachusetts International Film Festival |for "Outsider. Freud". |
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{IMDb name}}
- Yair Qedar at the [http://www.israelfilmcenter.org/viewing-library/filmmakers/yair-qedar Israeli Film Center]
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Category:Israeli male journalists
Category:Israeli LGBTQ screenwriters
Category:Israeli LGBTQ rights activists
Category:Israeli documentary filmmakers
Category:Israeli male screenwriters
Category:Israeli LGBTQ film directors