Golden Rooster, China's most prestigious film festival, will give awards to foreign films for the first time during the November 9 to 12 annual event in Sanya City, Hainan Province. 　　

Eight awards will be shared by some of the 21 foreign films to be shown during the 14th Golden Rooster Festival in the popular beach resort city on the Hainan island. 　　

The festival, which presents Golden Rooster Awards and Hundred Flowers Awards in alternate years to outstanding films and artists in China, will give awards to 15 domestic films from the past year. The new international film awards are part of the interest in improving film production in China, according to an unnamed official with the China Film Association, the festival's organizer. 　　

The international awards include the most popular films, directors, actors and actresses for Chinese audiences, according to the China Film Artists Association. 　　

The 21 nominated foreign films were made between 2004 and 2005 in a dozen countries including the Republic of Korea, Russia, the United States, Japan, Sweden, Australia, France, Germany and Austria, said an official with the association. None of them has yet been shown in China. 　　

The organizing committee is planning to choose 10 filmgoers from the audience, whose opinions will be key in selecting the winners. 　　

Final information on the judging team has not yet been released. 　　

The romantic Titanic, Spider Man and a number of other foreign movies have been box-office hits in China. However, no foreign films have received awards in any national film festivals in China. 　　

(Shenzhen Daily November 8, 2005)