“Score: A Hockey Musical,” with Olivia Newton-John, will open the Toronto International Film Festival with a red-carpet gala on Sept. 9.

Newcomer Noah Reid plays a 17-year-old who becomes a hockey star in the $5.3 million Toronto-shot film directed by Michael McGowan, who also wrote lyrics set to music by Newton-John and Marc Jordan (who play the lad’s parents) as well as the Barenaked Ladies and others.

“Barney’s Version” with Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman, produced by local fixture Robert Lantos, had been tipped for the opening slot, which generally goes to a Canadian production. Last year’s the festival opened with Jon Amiel’s rather more sober, British-made “Creation.” Full details are here.