It was an Ophir Awards ceremony different from all others on Monday night in Tel Aviv as the Israeli Academy for Film and Television presented its prizes because of the long shadow cast by the war, which has been raging for almost a year.

There was a subdued atmosphere at the normally light-hearted event as virtually every presenter and winner wore dog tags, T-shirts, yellow-ribbon pins, or other yellow accessories as a reminder of the 100 hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza, and most referenced the hostage and the war in their speeches.
In an especially emotional moment, Shaylee Atary accepted the award for Best Short Dramatic Film for The Boy, which was directed by her late husband, Yahav Winner. Winner was murdered in Kfar Aza on October 7, as he distracted Hamas terrorists so Atary could escape with their baby.

She dedicated the award to the memory of Winner and of many others in the cast and crew who were murdered last October in Kfar Aza. The atmospheric drama, which was set in Kfar Aza and portrayed the challenges of life there, showcased Winner’s enormous talent and potential. Calling Winner, “the light of my life,” she added, “I will love you forever, it’s your prize.”

Shaylee Atary, widow of Yahav Winner z''l, whose movie, The Boy, won in the Best Short Dramatic Film category (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)
Shaylee Atary, widow of Yahav Winner z''l, whose movie, The Boy, won in the Best Short Dramatic Film category (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)

The Ophir for Best Feature Film went to Tom Nesher’s Come Closer, about a young woman coping with the loss of her brother, which was inspired by the death of Nesher’s own brother, Ari Nesher, in an accident six years ago. Come Closer will be Israel’s official selection for consideration for a Best International Feature Oscar.

Nesher won Best Director for Come Closer, an honor that has eluded Nesher’s father, director Avi Nesher, throughout his career, in spite of the popularity and critical acclaim for his films, an irony that everyone in the audience was well aware of.

Lia Elalouf, winner of Best Actress for Come Closer (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)
Lia Elalouf, winner of Best Actress for Come Closer (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)

But despite this, it was the younger Nesher’s night. Standing on stage in a hostage T-shirt – which much of the cast and crew of the movie also wore -- she tearfully thanked her family and her late brother, but at the end of her speech, said that the biggest prize would be for the hostages to come home. Lia Elalouf, the lead actress in Come Closer, won the Best Actress Ophir for her movie debut.

The Best Actor Award went to Shadi Mar’i for his role as a Rahat construction worker who dreams of becoming a writer in the movie Eid by Yousef Abo Madegem, the first full-length movie directed by a Bedouin. Mar’i, best known for his role in Fauda, is one of a handful of Israeli Arab actors to win an acting Ophir.

Yaakov Zada-Daniel and Batel Moseri won Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, respectively, for Li Ginat’s Girls Like Us.

Shadi Mar'i, winner of Best Actor Ophir for Eid (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)
Shadi Mar'i, winner of Best Actor Ophir for Eid (credit: Courtesy of the Israeli Academy of Film and Television/Credit: Lior Horesh and Dekel Lazimi Lev)
Amit Ulman's innovative rap feature film, The City, was honored with awards for its music and art direction. 

One positive aspect of this year’s Ophirs, highlighted by presenters, was the high percentage of female nominees, especially in the directing and writing categories.

Thoughts with the hostages 

But in spite of the winners' joy on Monday night, the hearts and minds of everyone in the auditorium were focused on 100 Israelis who could not be there, the soldiers fighting for them, and so many recently bereaved families.