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Cannes Surprises John Travolta With Honorary Palme d'Or at Directorial Debut

The lifetime honor signals Cannes’ embrace of his move into directing with a personal, aviation‑themed first feature set to stream May 29 on Apple TV+.

Overview

  • Cannes awarded John Travolta a surprise honorary Palme d'Or on Friday, with festival delegate general Thierry Frémaux presenting the prize moments before the world premiere of his first film as a director.
  • Travolta grew emotional onstage and called the honor “more than an Oscar,” drawing a long standing ovation in the Salle Debussy.
  • Propeller One-Way Night Coach adapts his 1997 children’s book into a nostalgic, aviation‑focused family story that he wrote, narrated, produced, and directed.
  • The premiere screened out of competition, and Apple TV+ is set to release the film on May 29.
  • His daughter, Ella Bleu Travolta, appears in the cast and joined him at the presentation, fitting a project rooted in his lifelong passion for flying, which Cannes notes includes about 9,000 hours as a pilot.