Pauline Quirke's own company made the movie

She and other cast members attended the premiere on Sunday at the Savoy Theatre, Monmouth, said to be the oldest cinema in Wales.

The South Wales Film Commission used the event to promote the attractions of Wales to more than 20 leading film producers.

Arthur's Dyke is a bitter-sweet comedy which tells the story of a group of friends are reunited 20 years after walking 164 miles of Offa's Dyke as students.

It was made by Ms Quirke's own company, Quirky Films, with her husband Steve Sheen as co-producer.

The actress is best known as Sharon in the BBC TV comedy series Birds of a Feather.

Attractions like Tintern Abbey could be boosted

The movie also stars Brian Conley, Dennis Waterman, Warren Clarke, and the Monmouthshire countryside.

Despite the foot-and-mouth crisis, all but a fraction of the movie was shot on location in Monmouthshire during an 11-week period over the summer of 2001.

The world premiere gave the county another chance to promote its attractions to dozens of celebrities and film-makers.

Economic boost

The South Wales Film Commission says movie production is a relatively painless way of bringing prosperity to Wales without any long-term damage.

It estimates filming can boost a local economy by up to �65,000 a day, from rent on a location to catering and accommodation for film crews and actors.

Film crews and stars will need accommodation

Clive Hamersley, an assistant director for economic development at Monmouthshire Council, said they had set up a "rapid response unit" to attract film-makers.

"Those in the film industry who are looking for a location can come straight through to a telephone number here," he said.

"We have a team of about five or six people who can make things happen.

"These are the people who, if we need to stop off a road, if we need to find accommodation, can make this happen very rapidly."

Clive Myer, head of the Newport-based International Film School Wales, said rural locations were attractive to film producers because of - not despite - their distance from the bright lights.

"They go to London because they want the buzz and crack of London - they come to Wales because they want the beauty of the countryside."

Mr Myer pointed out that New Zealand had enjoyed a boost in tourism from movie fans keen to see the locations used in Lord of the Rings.

The foot-and-mouth crisis hit rural Wales hard

He said it showed the economic benefits of using Wales as a film location could be phenomenal.

"We've just come through a foot-and-mouth period where tourism in the countryside had declined hugely," he said.

"Initiatives like this will guarantee an increase in tourism."

Michael Blakemore, proprietor of the Savoy Theatre, said its 300-seat cinema was the perfect place to premiere a film made in Monmouthshire.

He said the occasion showed that small, town centre cinemas could survive in the age of the multiplex.

"The secret is giving very good service to our customers, and being part of the community.

"The film side of the business is just a segment - we're developing live theatre as well.

"So we're not dependent on pure film - that is how we think we are going to survive."