Buena Vista International scored with another strong limited release performer this week as Dirty Pretty Things grossed an impressive $225,541 (£141,865) from just 50 sites. The drama, from British director Stephen Frears, showed a strong per site average of $4,511, laying claim to seventh position in the chart.

Dirty Pretty Things also played well in London's West End where it grossed $100,260 (£63,290) from 13 locations for a powerful average of $7,712. Starring an international ensemble cast including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sergi Lopez and Amelie-star Audrey Tautou, Dirty Pretty Things is a latest in a recent strong run for BVI in the limited release market.

Phillip Noyce's The Quiet American continues to play well in its third week at six this week for the distributor. The film dropped off just 19% from the previous weekend to take $296,733 (£186,645) from 100 sites and has grossed $1.5m to date. Also from both BVI and Noyce, Rabbit-Proof Fence took up 12th position over the weekend, its sixth, with $94,903 (£59,694) from 90 venues. After dropping just 21% on last week the Australian drama has a cumulative of $2.2m.

BVI is also showing strength in the mainstream market where The Santa Clause 2 held third place this week with an additional $1.8m (£1.1m), a mere drop of 3% week-on-week. The comedy has taken $6.2m so far in the UK. The distributor opens Reese Witherspoon comedy Sweet Home Alabama next weekend.

At the top of the chart Die Another Day and Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets remained unchallenged holding first and second positions respectively. The Bond title, distributed by 20th Century Fox, added $3.5m (£2.2m) this weekend and now boasts a four week cumulative total of $43m.

Warner Bros' Harry Potter sequel claimed $2.9m (£1.8m) at the weekend to bring its total to $69.5m, making it the highest grossing film released in the UK in 2002. Both blockbuster titles are expected to take a hit next weekend when another franchise behemoth roles out, The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers - distributed by Entertainment Film Distributors.

The only other opener to make the chart this weekend was Fox's kids title Like Mike. The film took fourth position with $391,366 (£246,169), but playing at 279 sites scored a disappointingly weak average of $1,403.

Pathe's horror title Deathwatch rounded out the top five with $331,978 (£208,814) at 193 sites. The film now has a 10-day total of $1.1m.