Powered byrecord industry openings in Japan and Italy at the weekend, Buena VistaInternational's (BVI) Finding Nemo surged through international waters and raised its internationalrunning total by $45.9m to $283.4m.

The animated hitalso became Disney's third film to pass $600m in worldwide ticket sales behind TheLion King and PiratesOf The Caribbean and isnow the third biggest grossing international animated film ever, behind TheLion King and Aladdin.

Theextraordinary $10.2m Japanese bow even managed to shunt Warner BrosInternational's fellow opener The Last Samurai and its star Tom Cruise - always a bigdraw in the territory - into second place.

The opening on654 screens was the biggest ever industry bow and naturally takes the title ofBVI's biggest ever opener in Japan.

Nemo opened top in Italy on $6.6m on 470screens for another industry and BVI mark. In five days there it has taken 75%of the entire gross for Monsters, Inc.

There were several mighty holdovers, among them $9.8m inits second weekend in France for $24.2m, $6.2m in its third in Germany for$33.7m and $4.2m in its second in Spain for $11.1m. All three were number oneholds.

Other territorytotals so far include Sweden on $6m, Switzerland on $5.7m, Austria on $5m andPoland on $2.9m.

Brother Bear added $2.2m for a $2.7m internationalrunning total, opening top in Argentina on $203,000 from 88 and top inSingapore on $297,000 from 32.

Freaky Fridayopened in Spain and grossed $610,000 from 201. The film took $1m at the weekendfor a $11.4m running total.

The Haunted Mansionwent out in its firsttwo territories of Malaysia and Taiwan. It opened top in both, grossing$266,000 from 28 in the former for BVI's second biggest live-action openingever, and $196,000 from 14 in the latter.