From a documentary about female cadets of the Israel Defense Force to a modern-day sex comedy, the Israeli Film Festival will showcase films celebrating Israel's diverse culture and history throughout the month of November.

Co-sponsored by Hillel Jewish Student Association and the Women's Outreach Center, the festival will feature three titles by Israeli filmmakers -- two of whom will attend the screenings of their respective films. For the debut screening of the festival, producer Daniel Katzir will speak about his film "Company Jasmine" at 7 p.m. today.

"Company Jasmine" documents a women field officers' school in the Israel Defense Force and follows five women in training. While the film explores the inherent political atmosphere of war training, Rabbi Steve Kirschner, director of Hillel, said he believes the film will also speak about "women's issues and ethnic diversity."

Kirschner said he believes that unlike the predominantly politically-infused films about Israel that are available to American audiences, the festival will portray universal aspects of Isreali society.

"The films explore what it's like living in a society with people that are different, from a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds," he said. "[The festival] speaks a lot to a college campus especially, where there are all kinds of cultural differences."

Kirschner said he believes hosting a film festival was important for Hillel to reach out to students.

"For one thing, film is visual--you can see the people and issues," he said. "With something else, like a music performance, the access to understanding is limited. Film allows people to see (and to hear) Israel."

The festival will continue Nov. 16 with a screening of "Bonjour Monsieur Shlomi," and conclude Nov. 30 with "Wisdom of the Pretzel," an Israeli "American Pie" of sorts, featuring director Ddani Menkin. All screenings are free.
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