Ranchi, March 16: English literature and journalism students of Ranchi University will soon be served a spread of American movies and documentaries.

As a part of their public diplomacy programme, the Consulate General of the United States of America sent a proposal to the Ranchi University to screen 12 American films for the students.

The films screened will be especially for those pursuing courses in literature and journalism.

The proposal was sent on March 10. The university accepted it and decided to hold the screening of films on April 1 and 2 at the seminar hall of Central Library.

University spokesperson S.S. Akhtar said, “For the students of English literature, the screening will be done on April 1, while journalism students will watch movies on media themes on the following day.”

According to the proposal, eight films based on literary themes include — The Good Earth (138 min), Emperor Jones (72 min), East of Eden (115 min), Death of a Salesman (136 min.), A Street Car named Desire (125 min), To Have and Have Not (100 min), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf? (134 min.) and Grapes of Wrath (128 min).

Documentaries on the media include — Television Media: Headlines or Hype? (29 min), Globalisation and the Media (22 min), Profitability: The New Media’s New Bottom Line? (20 min), and Investigative Reporting: The Righteous Lens (30 min).

Akhtar said, “We have already despatched letters to the head and the director of the English and the journalism departments to furnish the names of students interested in watching the movies so that we can start making arrangements for the screening.”

Akhtar said as all the movies are of short duration, their screening would be completed in a day.

He said it was the first time that a screening of foreign movies would be organised for the students of Ranchi University.

Sources said besides organising a special programme for the RU students, the Consulate General of the United States of America is also toying with the idea of screening movies on media themes for the Ranchi-based media persons.

The move has elicited overwhelming response from students. According to a first-year arts student of St Xavier’s College, the students in the capital rarely get an opportunity to see Hollywood classics.

“Let alone American literature and cinema, we do not even get to read good books, both fictions and non-fictions. In metros, the USIS and the British Council libraries cater to the needs of the students and professionals. They organise film shows and have well-stocked libraries. But we have always been deprived. This is a good beginning,’’ he said.