Free screenings on last day of TIFF 2010

scene from Score: A Hockey Musical

Today is the last day of TIFF 2010 and there are still many films worth catching. A number of today's screenings are free to the public. In addition to their TIFF For Free series and the traditional free screening of the Audience Award winner, Mongrel Media and the Toronto International Film Festival have announced that they will host a free screening of the Opening Night gala film, Score: A Hockey Musical. as there way of saying thank you to Toronto. The screening will take place at 9:00 pm, at the Ryerson Theatre.  The director Michael McGowan and some of the cast will be in attendance.

The final two films tonight in the TIFF For Free series are The Big Chill (7:00 pm) and The Princess Bride (10:00 pm) and take place at the new Bell Lightbox. The winner of the Audience Award will be announced later today. [UPDATE: The Audience Award winner for 2010 is The King's Speech. It will screen at the Ryerson Theatre for free at 6:00 pm, not at the Elgin Theatre as in previous years]

All free screenings are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.  

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Free screening of
SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL on September 19!

As a thank you to Toronto, The Toronto International Film Festival will hold a free public screening of Score: A Hockey Musical on Sunday, Sept. 19, 9:00 pm, at Ryerson.  Filmgoers will be admitted on a first come, first served basis.  Tickets will be handed out at Ryerson, beginning at 7:00 pm.  Talent in attendance will be producer/director/writer/lyricist Michael McGowan, and actors Allie MacDonald, Marc Jordan, Chris Ratz and Dru Viergever.  The film received a standing ovation when it screened as the Opening Night Gala at the Toronto Film Festival.  It received the same reaction as the opening film at the Atlantic Film Festival (Sept. 16) and Sudbury (Sept. 18).  The film will open two more festivals – Calgary (Sept. 23) and Edmonton (Sept. 24) – and play as the Anniversary Gala at the Vancouver Film Festival (Oct. 9).  The film opens across Canada on Oct. 22.

Olivia Newton-John stars in the film, which combines musical numbers with our national sport.  Also starring is a host of Canadian talent, including singer-songwriter Marc Jordan (whose composing credits include Rod Stewart’s “Rhythm of My Heart”), newcomers Noah Reid and Allie MacDonald, music artists Nelly Furtado, Hawksley Workman and John McDermott, journalists George Stroumboulopoulos and Evan Solomon, sports anchor Stephen Kouleas, hockey dad Walter Gretzky and hockey star Theo Fleury.  Shot in Toronto, the film tells the story of a teenage hockey phenom (Reid) who – much to the dismay of his intellectual parents (Newton-John and Jordan) and best friend (MacDonald) – goes from obscurity to overnight fame.  It is written and directed by Toronto’s Michael McGowan (Saint Ralph, One Week) who also served as producer (with Avi Federgreen) and lyricist.  The film includes 20 original songs.  Chris Ratz appears as a goalie, and Dru Viergever as the phenom’s enforcer.

Score: A Hockey Musical is being released in Canada by Mongrel Media.