Yona Rozankier was born in 1981 in Kibbutz Yehiam. A graduate of The Steve Tisch School of Film and Television, he is also a banana specialist and a lifeguard.
His shorts were screened at Cannes’ official competition, Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight, TIFF, Venice, Clermont-Ferrand, TSIFF and more.
“The Dive” (2018) his debut feature film, won two awards at Locarno, four awards at the Jerusalem Film Festival including Best Film, and was screened in TIFF, AFI, JeonJu, Seattle, Cleveland, Warsaw festivals, among others. “The Road to Eilat” (2022) was selected for the Cannes Atelier, won first prize in the Sam-Spiegel Film Lab. It won three awards at the Jerusalem Film Festival, including Best Film, and was nominated for 11 Israeli Academy Awards. He is also co-creator of “Kibbutznikim”, a 40 episode daily drama which was HOT’s (the Israeli Cable) most watched series of 2020.