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Travolta Turns Auteur With Cannes Berets, Honorary Palme and Apple TV Debut

His film's Cannes honorary Palme d'Or and imminent Apple TV release signal a deliberate shift from star to filmmaker.

Overview

  • John Travolta wrote, directed and co-produced Propeller One‑Way Night Coach, an adaptation of his 1997 children’s novel that stars his daughter Ella Bleu Travolta.
  • Cannes artistic director Thierry Frémaux surprised Travolta with an honorary Palme d'Or at the film’s festival premiere, a recognition that amplified publicity for the project.
  • Travolta adopted a consistent director persona—berets, round glasses and a dyed beard—saying in a CNN interview that he dressed the part to present himself as a filmmaker.
  • Promotion moved from Cannes to a New York City premiere at MoMA and television appearances, where Ella Bleu spoke about her father’s new look and the pair presented her as an adult actor.
  • Apple Original Films has scheduled a near‑term global streaming release on Apple TV, giving the film wide, immediate distribution as critics offer mixed early reactions.