Top honours have been awarded to five British film-makers who have declared that the country's once-fragile industry is now blooming.

Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons joined film directors Mike Leigh, Stephen Frears, Peter Greenaway and Mike Radford to be made officers of the order of arts and letters by the French Culture Minister, Catherine Trautmann.

Mike Leigh, whose quirky films have been big winners at the celebrated Cannes Film festival, was in upbeat form about the British film industry as he accepted his award from the French ambassador in London.

"Things are looking positive. It is healthier," said Mr Leigh, now heading into production of Untitled '98 which will in the usual style be built up with actors from an improvised script.

Mr Leigh, nominated for five Oscars for his moving film Secrets And Lies, said: "We all have to struggle with the long arm of Hollywood, its shadow, its interference. Our job is not to genuflect."

Jeremy Irons: Reversal of fortune for British films

Jeremy Irons, who won a 1991 Oscar for Reversal Of Fortune, said: "We have realised it is a failure to copy Hollywood. Tell a good story and you are going to get backing."

He cited the international success of the comedies The Full Monty and Four Weddings And A Funeral as proof for Hollywood that offbeat, individualistic films could make money.

"The Americans think we are arty-farty," said Mr Irons. "I believe in regeneration, not the treadmill."

Mike Radford, whose Franco-Italian production Il Postino was an international success, said: "The British industry has never felt so healthy. There is a steady growth in the number of people going to the cinema."

One fifth of cinema tickets sold in Britain are now for home-produced movies. Admissions rose by 11% last year, box office receipts topped £100m and more multi-screen cinemas are in the pipeline.

Stephen Frears, who has just completed his first western with Woody Harrelson in the starring role, said Hollywood could no longer be viewed as the world leader in entertainment.

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