FREE WILLY (G) Presented in Glorious 35mm

Free Willy at Revival House Perth

Grab the tissues for the movie that made an entire generation care about orcas. This 1993 family classic is pure heart—a story about unlikely friendship, second chances, and the courage it takes to do the right thing even when it hurts.

Jason James Richter stars as Jesse, a troubled foster kid with anger issues and nowhere to belong. When he's caught vandalizing a marine park, his punishment is cleaning up the mess—which leads him to Willy, a three-ton orca who's just as angry and lonely as he is. As Jesse learns to trust his foster parents (Michael Madsen and Jayne Atkinson), he forms an unbreakable bond with Willy, teaching the whale to perform and finding his own sense of purpose.

But when Jesse discovers the park owners plan to profit from Willy's death, he must make an impossible choice: keep his friend close or set him free.

Director Simon Wincer captures genuine magic in the scenes between boy and whale, mixing real footage of Keiko (the orca who played Willy) with animatronics so seamlessly you forget you're watching movie magic. Michael Jackson's "Will You Be There" became an instant classic, and that final jump over the breakwater remains one of cinema's most triumphant moments.

Yes, you'll cry. Everyone cries. That's the point. This is earnest, unironic storytelling that believes in the power of connection and the importance of freedom—and somehow it all works beautifully.

Perfect Sunday afternoon viewing for the whole family.

Present in authentic 35mm film for the true cinematic experience!

When: Sunday, November 16th at 2:00 PM
Where: Revival House Perth
Rating: PG - Mild themes

The tearjerker that launched a thousand marine biologists—pure-hearted family cinema at its finest.