Ang Lee's Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon won eight awards in 2001

It stars, and was directed by, Stephen Chiau, who has been described as Hong Kong's answer to Hollywood's Jim Carrey.

Chiau's football players use martial arts to run rings around their opponents on the pitch.

Shaolin Soccer won the awards for best film, director, young director, actor, supporting actor, sound design and visual effects.

Its tally was just below the eight won by Ang Lee's trailblazing, cross-cultural hit Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2001.

'Enchanted'

Unusually for an Asian film, the rights have been bought up by Miramax, part of the Walt Disney empire.

Shaolin Soccer is due to go on general release in the United States in May.

Accepting his awards, Chiau, who has made more than 50 films, paid tribute to the legendary Kung Fu star Bruce Lee, who he said had inspired him to break into the industry.

"I was so enchanted by his films that I resolved to be an actor," he said.