Chinese home-made films have won 32 international awards, one of the indications of a booming Chinese film industry, according to the Chinese film administration.

A total of 263 homegrown films have registered in the Film Bureau of China's State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) and competed in 101 international film festivals in 2005, said Tong Gang, director of the SARFT at a press conference on Wednesday.

Tong said 18 homegrown films won 32 international awards in 24 international film festivals in 2005.

The mainland has hosted 26 SARFT-authorized overseas Chinese film exhibitions in 2005, with 215 home-made films displayed in 22 countries and Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, he said.

Among the 22 countries, Thailand, Finland, Latvia, Croatia and Colombia hosted Chinese film exhibitions for the first time, which has brought Chinese films to new audiences, Tong said.

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2005)