Yonah Sadeh is a filmmaker and photographer based in the Berkshires. Over the last decade, he has been creating short films, documentaries, and promotional content for local businesses and organizations.
Yonah graduated from Bard College at Simon’s Rock in 2024, studying film and digital media. His work focuses on storytelling that feels authentic and visually striking, often exploring social issues such as affordable housing, climate change, and the refugee crisis.
His short documentary titled “In Our Backyard”, won the grand prize for the Bridging Divides, Healing Communities Youth Film Challenge in Fall of 2021. His animated short, “Change is Possible”, won the 2020 Ocean Awareness Contest in the film category. His thesis film, “Subnivean”, premiered at the New York Lift-Off Film festival in the summer of 2024.
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What was your first experience with film and how did it influence your first project?
My love for film began when I was about nine years old, when my mother got a MacBook with iMovie. I was instantly hooked. The puppet shows I used to perform for my family turned into home videos – often with my family as the cast. I was captivated by how effortlessly I could express my imagination and creativity through film.
As time went on, I got a camcorder and tripod and kept making home videos, experimenting and refining my skills. In my early teens, I found inspiration in YouTube filmmakers like FilmRiot, Casey Neistat, and RocketJump, who introduced me to the fundamentals of low-budget filmmaking. Their work fueled my passion and shaped the way I approach storytelling today.
Who is (are) your favorite filmmakers?
I draw heavy inspiration from the directing styles of Wes Anderson and Robert Eggers. Alfonso Cuarón is also a major influence, especially as a director who often shoots his own films. Additionally, I admire Abbas Kiarostami’s documentary-style cinematography and his naturalistic approach to storytelling. As a cinematographer, I’m particularly inspired by the work of Lol Crawley and Roger Deakins as well.
What are you working on that no one knows about?
I’m currently working on a short documentary about affordable housing in the Berkshires, a pressing issue both locally and nationally. Through this film, I aim to highlight the dedicated individuals working to expand access to affordable housing, as well as the residents whose lives are positively impacted by these developments.
Who would play you in a movie? What’s your go to movie snack? What’s the film title that best describes your life?
My go-to movie snack is peanut M&M’s!
I would love for Willem Dafoe to play me in a movie – it would definitely be a surreal indie film.
