Bhubaneswar, Aug. 26: Youngsters in the city are in for quite a treat. The UK, as part of the 'Celebrating Partnerships - UK in Odisha' campaign, is hosting film screenings at various schools and colleges across the city.

The three-day fest, being hosted by the British Council, where films based on Shakespeare's plays will be screened. The programme - 'Shakespeare Lives' - is part of the Bard's 400th death anniversary celebrations in 2016.

SAI International School, KIIT University and Xavier Institute of Management, Bhubaneswar will screen the films, selected in keeping with local curriculum and are from the BBC's Shakespeare Collection. These are The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night, All's Well That Ends Well, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, The Taming of the Shrew and Measure for Measure.

The fest aims to strengthen the connection between the UK and Odisha. "UK has been trying to make its presence felt in Odisha through a range of activities through education and culture. We want to deepen that connection and kindle interest in other organisations who we seek to work with and look forward to reaching out to further collaborations in education, arts and culture," said Sujata Sen, director of British Council (East), India.

The festival will develop a healthy appetite for world cinema among youngsters. "I love reading Shakespeare's plays and here, I got an opportunity to watch it on the big screen. It was fun and provided an awareness of world cinema," said Nigam Patra, a student of the KIIT University.

The council is working with a host of theatres, museums, educators and artists on new productions of Shakespeare's plays, film adaptations, public readings and educational resources for schools and English language learners of all ages.

It will also hold a seminar on 'Higher Education Opportunities in the UK' at the SAI International School on Thursday.