A new film and literature organization for students interested in exploring cultural diversity is set to debut on campus next fall.

FLiCC, or the Film Literature and Culture Club, will be a registered student organization advised by the English department.

Ruben Quesada, a creative writing professor, is the organization’s founder.

Quesada said the RSO’s purpose is to create community and dialogue among people of all backgrounds. The club will examine contemporary novels and films to coincide with cultural celebrations on campus such as Latin American History Month and Women’s History and Awareness Month.

“I wanted there to be a regular space for students to encounter new or difficult subjects, and this seemed like a great fit for that,” Quesada said.

The organization’s goal is to analyze films that have been adapted from texts.

Students will be urged to pay close attention to the cultural representations that books and films portray. They will also examine how the characters and plots differentiate from page to screen. The material chosen will draw upon cotemporary English topics like pluralism and society, Quesada said.

“It’s meant to be student-run, and students will primarily be responsible for running the organization. There will be several advisers who will offer guidance and support,” Quesada said. “The hope is to have students do all of the programming of the films and the books.”

Quesada said the objective is to look into the stories of people from different backgrounds in real life situations. He said he wants students to recognize how films allow people to reach a broader spectrum and audience.

“I’ve been teaching a course on the representation of gender and sexuality on film,” Quesada said. “The course then led me to think about spaces that films create to talk about difficult or new subjects.”

Students will also present their research to faculty members and other notable speakers. Members of the club will also host a freshman essay contest with a concentration on the ideas discussed during the meetings.

The material includes the film and the book “A Single Man” by Christopher Isherwood, as well as the film and book “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker.

The organization is open to both undergraduate and graduate students.

“I think film is a great way to introduce people to other people that aren’t like them,” Quesada said.

He said he has high hopes the organization will continue beyond next year.

Thaija Evans can be reached at 581-2812 or tvevans@eiu.edu.