Yesterdayat Cinema Expo, Nielsen EDI International handed out its annual Gold ReelAwards.

The awardsare given to distributors whose films have crossed $100m at the internationalbox office in the 12 months since the last Cinema Expo.

This year18 films achieved the mark, but while this did not match the record number toreceive the prize in at the 2005 exposition it did highlight some strengths ofthe international marketplace and also inspired creation of a new award, theplatinum reel.

Theinaugural platinum reel was presented to two films that took in more than $500min international box office, HarryPotter And The Goblet Of Fire from Warner Bros (the highest grossing filmof this year's honourees) and 2006's The Da Vinci Code from Sony.

WarnerBros, which picked up four awards, saw particular international success withlast summer's The Island. Monique Esclavissat, executive vice president of Europeandistribution at Warner Bros Pictures International, told the exhibitors inattendance, 'Thank you for helping almost quadruple the domestic gross.'She cited last year's Cinema Expo, where 45 minutes of the film wasscreened to exhibitors, as a major factor in its international support. The Island grossed $126m international after adisastrous US run. Warner also saw awards for Batman Begins and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

UIP, whichhas won more gold reels than any other distributor, added five yesterday withlast year's Madagascar, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of TheWere-Rabbit, War Of The Worlds and King Kong andthis year's Mission: Impossible III.

TwentiethCentury Fox collected four with Mr And Mrs Smith, Fantastic Four and this year's Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and X-Men: The Last Stand - which helpedthe distributor cross $1bn in 2006 earlier this month.

Buena VistaInternational claimed three with Flightplan, ChickenLittle and The Chronicles Of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.

Sony alsotook home a Gold Reel for Rob Marshall's MemoirsOf A Geisha.