Oakville Festivals of Film and Art (OFFA) is offering a free digital screening of the 1979 comedy Meatballs to celebrate National Canadian Film Day today, April 21, 2021.
Directed by Ivan Reitman, this ode to summer camp is a Canadian classic, featuring Bill Murray in his first starring role. Murray plays Tripper in the film, a prankster and flirt who causes trouble at an overnight summer camp.
An official plot from OFFA says: "Tripper can’t help teasing his boss and the counsellors at the nearby rich kids’ camp. Everyone is sick and tired of perennially losing the Camp Olympics. It’s only by encouraging all campers to try their hardest that Tripper and his troops can hope to emerge triumphant. Full of wacky pranks, lively high jinks and a lot of touching moments, Meatballs is sure to entertain audiences of all ages."
Meatballs won two Genie Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actress (for Kate Lynch), as well as the Golden Reel Award, given to the film with the biggest box office gross of the year, then a record-setting $70 million.
Those with free tickets can also attend a live, online Q&A about the film, hosted by OFFA Executive Director Wendy Donnan and television personality Jennifer Valentyne. Their guests will include director Ivan Reitman and actors Jack Blum (who plays Spaz) and Kate Lynch (who plays Roxanne).
As of this morning, Wednesday, April 21, 2021, free tickets for the screening are now open. Those with free tickets have until this Friday at 7 a.m. to begin watching the film.
Registration for free tickets for Meatballs are available online from OFFA's website.
There are hundreds of other free digital screenings being offered nationwide today for National Canadian Film Day - a full list of events nationwide is available here online.