MUMBAI: Score: A Hockey Musical, opened the Toronto Film Festival on Thursday.

The festival, seen as a starting point in the race for the Oscars, raised the ire of the local arts community last year when it ditched its tradition of showcasing a Canadian film on opening night and chose British evolutionist drama Creation.

This year the pendulum has swung back with equal force with a hokey musical about Canada‘s favourite sport Hockey on skates as the festival‘s gala opening show. The inclusion of Score has also sparked a debate over giving low-brow subject matter such plum placement.

The audience, some wearing hockey jerseys, clearly enjoyed the campy film as they hooted and hollered through key scenes.

Directed by Toronto-born filmmaker Michael McGowan, Score stars Olivia Newton-John. Walter Gretzky, father of hockey‘s Great One, Wayne Gretzky and former hockey player Theo Fleury make interesting cameos.

McGowan previously screened two other critically acclaimed films at the Toronto fest, Saint Ralph and One Week.