The University Board Movie Committee has big plans for the semester, including the new Independent Film Series that will begin on Thursday.

The series will kick off with the film “The Virgin Suicides” showing at 7 p.m. on Thursday in Buzzard Auditorium.

“Anyone who is interested in seeing a very good movie or who is interested in independent films should come,” said Ryan

Rinchiuso, the University Board’s new movies coordinator.

Rinchiuso said the movie is a coming-of-age film that mainstream audiences would like. “I was trying to please everyone,” he said.

Kirsten Dunst (“Bring It On”) and Josh Hartnet (“Pearl Harbor”) both appear in the film. Rinchiuso said he hoped people might come to the event because they know of those actors and then fall in love with the movie.

Rinchiuso said he chose the movie because he thought it was beautifully shot, directed and acted. “You really get into it and feel for the characters,” he said.

“The Virgin Suicides” is the first in a series of four independent films the UB is showing this semester.

“Girl Fight” will be shown in September, followed by “Heavenly Creatures” in October and “The Professional” in November.

Rinchiuso said these movies were not shown in the Charleston area and are not very easy to find at the video rental store.

“They’re very good movies, and they deserve to be played on a sixteen-millimeter screen,” he said.

The Independent Film series is just a part of what the movie committee is doing this semester, he said.

“The Mummy Returns,” “Legally Blond,” “The Fast and the Furious” and “American Pie 2” will be shown this semester before they are released on video

“Candyman” and “Pitch Black,” two scary movies that Rinchiuso said are not played on television as much, will be shown on Oct. 20 for Halloween.