FREE SHOW – Wednesday, August 1: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 

8pm at Whistler Olympic Plaza

Film lovers will have another place to watch movies this summer – on the lawn, in the open air, under the stars at Whistler Olympic Plaza. Celestial Cinema  will take place on Wednesday nights from 8-10pm at Whistler Olympic Plaza as part of the Whistler Presents summer entertainment program. The dates are August 1, August 8, August 22 and August 29.

The Whistler Film Festival Society (WFFS) will be programming the Celestial Cinema screening series which will include a mix of crowd pleasers, audience and critic favorites.This open-air cinema featuring free, family-friendly outdoor film nights  will be hosted by the Film Festival’s Programming Manager Angie Nolan.

Bring your lawn chairs to sit on, blankets to get cozy under and picnic baskets, or pick some snacks and hot chocolate from one of the many eateries lining the plaza or in the village. All ages are welcome and all films will be rated PG or G (Parental Guidance or General). Smoking and alcohol will not be permitted.

The series is weather permitting and will be moved to Millennium Place in the event of rain showers with seating available for free on a first come first serve basis.  The call will be made at 6:00 pm on the evening of the screenings. WFFS gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the Resort Municipality of Whistler and the Province of BC to produce the series.

Wednesday, August 1: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS 

Director: Woody Allen
  Starring Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates, Carla Bruni

“Smart, funny, whimsical – one of the best romantic comedies in recent years.” – Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Written and directed by Woody Allen, his 41st movie and biggest commercial hit ever is the perfect summertime flick, a love letter to the charms of visiting a great vacation locale. 

A family travels to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple (Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams) who are forced to confront their differing views of a perfect life but seem pulled in opposite directions when it comes to the type of tourist adventures they covet. He ends up having the most enchanting encounters simply by walking the streets at night.

Wednesday, August 8: THE WHALE

Director: Suzanne Chisholm and Michael Parfit  Executive Producers: Ryan Reynolds, Scarlett Johansson  Narrated By: Ryan Reynolds

Narrated by Ryan Reynolds, The Whale tells the true story of a young, wild killer whale – an orca – nicknamed Luna, who lost contact with his family on the coast of British Columbia and turned up alone in a narrow stretch of sea between mountains, a place called Nootka Sound. Orcas are social. They live with their families all their lives. An orca who gets separated usually just fades away and dies. Luna was alone, but he didn’t fade away. There weren’t any familiar orcas in Nootka Sound, but there were people, in boats and on the shore. So he started trying to make contact. And people welcomed him. Most of them. This contact did not turn out to be simple. It was as if we humans weren’t ready for him. This story is about what happened then. The Whale celebrates the life of a smart, friendly, determined, transcendent being from the other world of the sea who appeared among us like a promise out of the blue: that the greatest secrets in life are still to be discovered.

Wednesday, August 22: MARLEY

Director: Kevin Macdonald  Featuring: Bob Marley (Archival Footage), Ziggy Marley, Rita Marley, Jimmy Cliff

“I think what’s great about the film is though there have been a lot of things done on Bob, I think this one will give people a more emotional connection to Bob’s life as a man – not just as a reggae legend or a mythical figure, but his life as a man.” – Ziggy Marley

“Marley, an ambitious and comprehensive film, does what is probably the best possible job of documenting an important life.” – Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

From Academy Award-winning director Kevin Macdonald (One Day In September, The Last King of Scotland) comes the story of a towering figure of musical history, whose music and message has transcended different cultures, languages and creeds to resonate around the world today as powerfully as when he was alive. Bob Marley’s universal appeal, impact on music history and role as a social and political prophet is both unique and unparalleled. MARLEY is the definitive life story of the musician, revolutionary, and legend, from his early days to his rise to international superstardom. Made with the support of the Marley family, the film features rare footage, incredible performances and revelatory interviews with the people that knew him best.

Wednesday, August 29: SCORE: A HOCKEY MUSICAL

Director: Michael McGowan  Starring: Noah Reid, Allie McDonald, Olivia Newton-John, Marc Jordan, Nelly Furtado

“A warm, irreverent and irresistibly goofy love letter to Canada’s national pastime, “Score: A Hockey Musical” pretty much says it all, serving up singing-and-dancing hockey players, gentle satire and even musical icon Olivia Newton-John, in one unapologetically pleasant package.” Michael Rechtshaffen, The Hollywood Reporter

Featuring a long list of famous Canadian cameos, Score: A Hockey Musical is a love letter to Canada that is a wry celebration of all the qualities that define us as a people – kindness, politeness, self-effacement and an ability to poke fun at ourselves. The story centres on Farley Gordon (Noah Reid), a 17-year-old who’s led a sheltered life, raised on a diet of organic living, home schooling and trips to the art gallery. His best friend is Eve (Allie MacDonald), the girl who’s lived next door since they were both three. Much to the dismay of his intellectual parents (Olivia Newton-John and Marc Jordan), Farley loves to play shinny with the local rink rats. To their even greater dismay, Farley is signed by a junior league team, where his stick-handling skills make him an instant star. But Farley discovers that hockey fame comes with a price, including the expectation to fight on the ice. Throw in a changing relationship with Eve – and Farley finds himself losing his way.