Yoram Kahana was born in Israel, studied at the Hebrew University, Jerusalem, and  graduated from UCLA with master's degrees in motion pictures and journalism.

Made  more than 50 educational and commercial films and filmstrips, set in the USA

and overseas, about cultures, crafts, anthropology and art.

Traveled the world  extensively photographing and writing,  and also photographed in Hollywood famous faces in music, movies, literature and art.

Founded and directed Shooting Star International Photo Agency to distribute his work and other photographers',  worldwide.

As a long time member and frequent Board director  of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association [HFPA] he  represented the HFPA in film festivals around the world: Jerusalem, Beirut,Zanzibar, Marrakech, Taormina, Montevideo, Yerevan, Tirana, Dakar, Abuja,Ougadugo, Bologna....

Having visited  over 120 countries so far, photographing , writing and collecting folk art and other must have items,  he is still working on his bucket list: Last stops Algeria, San Marino and Malta, next stop Kosovo.

A fan of Albania since his stamp collecting days as a teenager,he finally made it a year ago and attended the TIFF  representing the HFPA, and is proud and delighted to return and be on this year's jury.