Local films continued to make an impact on theinternational chart this week with 13 films in the top 30 produced outside theUS.

Fourof these came from the powerhouse territory for local product, South Korea. Thetop four films in the territory all made the international chart including newlaunches Crying Fist (Show East) and A Bittersweet Life (CJEntertainment). Both titles saw slightly disappointing openings, however,failing to match even the second/third week figures last week of the othercurrent hits Mapado and She's On Duty.

Germanactor Til Schweiger stepped behind the camera for Barfuss, his secondfilm as director after 1998's thriller Der Eisbaer. The film took thirdplace in Germany and 11thin Switzerland (fifth in the German-speaking region) for BVI. Also starringSchweiger, the romantic comedy tells the story of a man, unable to hold onto ajob, who starts work in a psychiatric hospital and prevents a patient fromcommiting suicide. Adding to his problems the young woman then begins to stalkhim.

Germanhit Downfall also featured on the international chart, re-entering aftera record opening for a German-language film in the UK, through MomentumPictures. The drama has now taken $68.1m internationally and should pass $70mthis week.

Italiantitle Manuale d'Amore continued to lead the box office in that countryalthough it suffered a 54% week-on-week slip. Meanwhile yet another in a fastsuccession of Russian hits landed on the chart with Central Partnership's TheEscape .

UKanimation Valiant saw a strong holdover in the UK over its secondweekend, slipping a mere 4% week-on-week for $1.7m through Entertainment FilmDistributors. This week saw the family title open in France for SND where itgrossed $2.04m in its first full week from 282,500 admissions in 657 screens.

Japanesesmash Howl's Moving Castle continued well in Hong Kong in its secondweek and has grossed $212.95m internationally to date. Meanwhile in Japan WorldWar II submarine drama Lorelei: The Witch Of The Pacific Ocean continuedto play well and nears $19m after five weekends.

WarnerBros was also on hand with a local title as French comedy L'Antidote,starring Christian Clavier, took third place in France and 10th in Belgium andSwitzerland (third in the French-speaking region).

After four weeks under Hitch's tutelage theinternational box office gained a new champion at the top of the chart in thevery different form of horror sequel The Ring Two. The UIP film doubledits territory count to 36 with new launches seen in a slew of major Europeanterritories including the UK, Spain. Germany and France. It triumphed in all.The original The Ring grossed $120m from international territories in2003.

For full international box office chart, click here

Theinternational table is compiled each week by Leonard Klady for ScreenInternational