Oscar winner Capturing The Friedmans, Michael Winterbottom's Code 46 and Takeshi Kitano's Zatoichi are amongst the films receiving National Lottery cash to boost their UK releases.

The films are amongst the latest batch of titles to secure p&a investment from support body the UK Film Council, which aims for the lottery money to bring films to a wider audience by expanding advertising campaigns and increase the number of prints.

Capturing the Friedmans, distributed by Metro Tartan Film Distribution, received £66,764, enabling the film to be shown on 26 screens instead of 15. Code 46, which is being released by Verve Pictures on Sept 17, won £75,000 p&a investment and will see the film released on 60 screens, up from an initial 30.

Zatoichi, distributed by Artificial Eye, received £70,000 to boost the number of screens to 50 instead of 30, while The Station Agent, released by Buena Vista International, secured £100,100 to enable the film to be seen on 58 screens, up from 30.

However, the council is also investing £300,000 into Richard Eyre's restoration set comedy Stage Beauty, starring Clare Danes, Rupert Everett and Bill Crudup, through its UK film distribution programme.