BEIJING - Revenues for China's documentary film industry soared from 400 million yuan ($64.4 million) in 2009 to 1.5 billion yuan last year, according to a recent report.

The booming industry has seen better quality and wider distribution in China and abroad, according to a report on the development of the documentary film industry published by Beijing Normal University (BNU) on Sunday.

Total investment in documentary films reached 1.3 billion yuan in 2012. "A Bite of China," a seven-episode TV series on the history of Chinese cuisine, has attracted unexpectedly large audiences, the report said.

Other films such as "The Spring Festival Gala," "Super Engineering," "The Forbidden City 100" and "Warm and Cold, We Share Together" were also popular, the report said.

The rising trading price of documentary films has boosted interest in social investment for the industry, said Zhang Tongdao, director of the BNU documentary center.

Documentaries focusing on Chinese culture have also become more popular, with overseas sales hitting 22 million yuan, the report said, adding that state-owned broadcaster China Central Television's documentary channel has become an effective platform for boosting the international influence of Chinese culture.