Outdoor Cinema: feathers, fins and friendship
During the school holidays, catch beloved family-friendly adventure films on the Big Screen featuring heartwarming stories about human and animal connection.
These school holidays, over three afternoons we’re screening a trio of family favourite 90s films featuring stories about special friendships forged between children and some of our wild feathered and finned friends: Free Willy (1993), Flipper (1996) and Fly Away Home (1996).
At its heart, each of these stories holds an environmental message about the human impact on the destruction of animal habitats, and – through empathy – encourages a sense of responsibility for protecting our oceans, waterways and landscapes.
Presented as part of RESET – a free festival for grounding and growing.
Wednesday 30 September, 3pm | 1h 35mins | 1996 | USA
A remake of the original 1963 film, Flipper stars a young Elijah Wood and Paul Hogan. A troubled teenager (Wood) is sent to spend his summer with his eccentric uncle on the Florida Gold Coast, where he makes friends with a dolphin who he names Flipper. The three learn to work together to save the local marine life from illegal toxic dumping.
Thursday 1 October, 3pm | 1hr 52 mins | 1993 | USA
A family drama about a young 12-year-old orphaned boy Jesse who befriends a captive orca named Willy while working at an amusement park. Discovering the park’s plans to kill Willy for insurance money, Jess hatches a plan to help break the animal out of captivity.
Friday 2 October, 3pm | 1hr 47 min | 1996 | USA
Starring Jeff Daniels and Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paquin, Fly Away Home is a based on the true story of Bill Lishman who, in 1986, started training Canada geese to follow his ultralight aircraft and succeeded in leading their migration south. In Fly Away Home, Pacquin is sent to live with her estranged father after her mother’s sudden death. Discovering a clutch of orphaned eggs, she and her father work together to help save the birds, and teach them their migration journey. Fly Away Home received on Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography.