A much greater range of films will be shown in British cinemas, thanks to a £12m lottery-funded project to place digital projectors in theatres across the country. This latest move in the establishment of a Digital Screen Network will involve the installation of state-of-the-art screening technology in 209 cinemas ranging from well-funded multiplexes to smaller 'arthouse' and local cinemas.

In return for the new equipment, participating cinemas have committed to a substantial increase in screenings for classic, foreign-language and other specialist pictures which have little chance of making it on to the usual mainstream distribution circuit. The establishment of the Network will also improve the availability of British produced movies, such as the multiple award-winning features Vera Drake and Girl with a Pearl Earring.

The increased diversity will be possible because of the vastly decreased costs of distributing digital media - with the expensive process of printing film bypassed, limits on the number of copies in circulation are effectively removed. An average of an additional two specialist screenings per cinema per day is projected. The announcement, which was made by the Film Council's chief executive, John Woodward, has been well received by cinema owners, critics and the film establishment at large.

James Purnell MP, the new minister for creative industries welcomed the move: "The groundbreaking digital network will give film fans more choice - they'll get to see more British, critically acclaimed and small budget films, alongside classics on the big screen, where they belong."