Wattie's Cans Film Festival has been cancelled after 22 years, and replaced with a primary schools can drive.

An annual film festival aimed at stocking up the Salvation Army's food bank has been cancelled because the cinema industry no longer wants to participate.

The Wattie's Cans Film Festival ran annually for 22 years, but this year has been axed in favour of a can drive through schools.



The festival screened family movies at cinemas throughout the country and allowed the public to swap any can of food for a ticket.

Each donated can was matched by Wattie's and all cans went to the Salvation Army. From 1994 to 2015, more than a million cans were given to the charity.

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At least 50 Hoyts, EVENT and independent cinemas across the country hosted films as part of the festival in November last year.

However, the cinemas pulled out of the event this year. A Hoyts spokesperson said the decision not to participate in the festival was made by the New Zealand Motion Picture Industry Council (NZMPIC).

Nicole Gourley The Watties Cans Film Festival was a popular annual event at cinemas around the country.

In previous years, NZMPIC had liaised with Wattie's, and then approached the exhibitors (the cinemas) to ask if they want to take part.

"It's not really a decision governed by the exhibitor, it's a decision governed by NZMPIC ... We don't really have any input into that process," he said.

NZMPIC would not comment on the decision.

Wattie's spokesperson Tina Wong said Wattie's were still committed to helping the Salvation Army.

"We had three partners involved in the Cans Film Festival. One of the partners decided that they didn't want to go ahead with it, so we've now decided to reinvent the relationship that we've got," she said.

A new food fundraiser, called Wattie's Cans for Good, has been organised by Wattie's and the Salvation Army in place of the Cans Film Festival.

Cans for Good will see primary schools collect cans of food to create an artwork, with the cans going to the Salvation Army. Wattie's will match each donated can, and the hope is to gather 50,000. 180 schools across the country are signed up to Cans for Good so far.

"It did open up another door, and we've had a great response from primary schools.... It's been really well-received, so we're really excited about November coming up," Wong said.

Salvation Army public relations director Shane Chisholm said the charity was sad to see the end of the Cans Film Festival, but excited about the Cans for Good project.

"We're grateful for the 22 years of amazing support that we had from Wattie's, from the cinema industry and from New Zealanders through the Cans Film Festival. It made a difference to thousands of struggling New Zealanders," he said.

"But, we're also really excited that Wattie's chose to partner with The Salvation Army again through Cans for Good. It's great to see the huge levels of support Cans for Good is already getting and we hope it will also have a long life."