Movie fans swarmed to theaters in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Friday to watch Star Wars Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith, the first blockbuster premiering in Tibet simultaneously with elsewhere in the world.

Cinemas in true sense came to Tibet in 1984, but not until today could audiences enjoy blockbuster premieres at the same time as other parts of the world, said Lhagba Cering, manager of Lhasa Cinema, Tibet's largest cinema.

The film will be screened ten times each day and tickets, priced at 30 yuan (about US$3.61), have been selling rapidly, he said.

"In the past, films would be screened in Tibet about one month later than elsewhere in China. Some would be late by about half a year," said Dawa, a movie fan at the cinema.

With the potential movie goers on rise, more popular films will greet Tibetan people for the first time, said Lhagba Cering.

Revenge of the Sith is the last in the three-part prologue to the original Star Wars trilogy. The first Star Wars burst onto global screens in 1977.

(Xinhua News Agency May 21, 2005)