Can Film Festival launches

Forget the Cannes Film Festival with its glitterati and its glamour, this year the first ever Can Festival launches, and it's far more ideologically sound.

Launching on 8 May, the Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square will host the Festival, before travelling to Glasgow and Manchester on 15 and 22 May. The festival has been set-up to encourage people to recycle drinks cans.

Film fans are invited to a special screening of Leonardo DiCaprio’s The 11th Hour, a film which explores the impact that the population has on the planet's ecosystem and the changes that must be made to guarantee the future of the planet.

Entry is free, on a first come first served basis but viewers are encouraged to bring an empty drinks can along with them for recycling as admission into the screening.

BBC Radio One film critic and spokesperson for the festival, James King will be hosting the London screening addressing the audience prior to the film about the importance of drinks can recycling.

King says, “I wanted to get involved in this project as recycling is an important part of our everyday lives and is essential to the upkeep of the environment. We have to raise awareness around this subject to ensure a healthy future for our children.

The great thing about the Can Film Festival is that it will bring people together and encourage them to recycle more. It will also highlight the fact that recycling is simple. The drinks can is not only 100% recyclable but also infinitely recyclable and helps save energy. Six to eight weeks after a drinks can is recycled it can be back on the shelf being sold as another drinks can. So a little bit of effort can really go a long way.”

As a nation, Britain consumes eight billion drinks cans each year that, if recycled, would produce enough energy to light every household in Britain for a year. At present only a third of drinks cans are recycled. It is hoped that the Can Film Festival will help raise awareness of the importance of recycling and improve the amount of drinks cans recycled.

/For more go to the official website