The UK Regional Critics' Annual Film Awards have been renamed The Richard Attenborough Film Awards. The awards were founded a year ago and will be known as the Attenborough Awards from 2008.

The awards are given in six categories: film of the year, filmmaker of the year, actor and actress of the year, the UK regional critics' rising star of the year and, for the first time, screenwriter(s) of the year.

Films of any genre and country of origin are eligible if they are released publicly in UK cinemas in the year until Feb 8, 2008. The best film winner at the inaugural awards was Pan's Labyrinth.

Regional film journalists will vote online and at the next Cinema Days (Jan 24-27), the regional journalists film showcase organised by the UK's Film Distributors' Association.

Peter Scott, Cinema Days co-ordinator, said: 'We couldn't be more thrilled that the UK regional critics' film awards are to be dedicated in tribute to Lord Attenborough, whose ambitious, sincere and life-affirming body of work shines through more than six decades of cinema. The new title immediately adds enormous significance and prestige to the awards.'

Lord Attenborough added: As three-quarters of UK cinema admissions take place outside the London area, I am only too pleased to support the regional critics in their appreciation and celebration of the finest filmmaking.'

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