Israeli filmmaker and actor Pini Tavger will be available to answer questions at a screening of three of his short films today.

“We’re very excited to have Pini Tavger coming,” said Misheala Giddings, international and area studies senior and OU Hillel’s Grinspoon MZ-Foundation Israel Advocacy intern. “He’s a well-established actor and director in Israel and is a great example of the wave of new and exciting talent coming out of Tel Aviv University.”

The three films were nominated for the 2009 Student Academy Awards. “Pinchas,” about a nine-year-old Russian boy dealing with life in Israel, won the audience award for short subject at the 12th annual Brooklyn International Film Festival in 2008.

“What better way to highlight Israeli and Jewish culture than by bringing films that highlight Israeli society, along with the director?” said Keren Ayalon, OU Hillel executive director.

In addition to writing and directing his own films, Tavger acts in movies, TV shows and soap operas.

“He’s a young, fun guy, and I think people will love him,” Giddings said.

Judaic & Israel Studies has been sponsoring the Jewish and Israeli film series for the 15 years the program has been at OU, said Norman Stillman, Judaic history professor.

“Some of our faculty are associate or full members of the Film and Video Studies program and teach courses such as Israeli culture through cinema, so bringing in films is a natural for us,” Stillman said.

The event is cosponsored by the Schusterman/Josey Program in Judaic & Israel Studies, the OU Film & Video Studies Program and the OU Hillel Jewish Student Center.

A question-and-answer session will follow the screening, which begins at 4:30 p.m. in the Mary Eddy and Fred Jones Auditorium in the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art.