The first time I met John Travolta was at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc in the ’90s. He bombarded me with questions about ‘Pulp Fiction’. As a member of the press, I had seen a preview the night before in Cannes. The Hollywood actor – along with his co-stars – had not. While the cast lingered over long Riviera lunches, director Quentin Tarantino was still racing against the clock in the edit suite. There had been no time for a cast and crew screening. They saw ‘Pulp Fiction’ for the first time as they walked the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, alongside the jury and invited guests.
As we now know, Pulp Fiction went on to win the Palme d’Or, and resurrected Travolta’s career.
Travolta directs film based on book he wrote
Fast forward 32 years to 2026, and the actor will be back in Cannes for an event just as unexpected and exciting, the Festival de Cannes announced today.
The 72-year-old will be returning to the Cannes Film Festival with his very first film as a director!
It’s a film extremely close to his heart, based on a book he wrote and illustrated in 1997 for his son Jett, and stars his daughter Ella Bleu (who turns 26 tomorrow, 3 April 2026).
‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach’ was inspired by Travolta’s lifelong passion for aviation. Apart from appearing in more than 70 films, the actor has also clocked up more than 9,000 flying hours. He’s certified to fly a string of Boeings, Bombardier’s Global Express and was the first private pilot to fly an Airbus A380.
Travolta’s passion for flying began as a child, watching planes take off from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, which was near his home. At 15 he began flying, and by 22 he had his first pilot’s license. A couple of times he’s even merged both his passions – flying planes in ‘Look Who’s Talking’ (1989) and ‘Broken Arrow’ (1996).
What is Propeller One-Way Night Coach about?
The actor’s directorial debut, ‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach’, unfolds as a nostalgic journey set in the golden age of aviation. Inspired by Travolta’s childhood memories, it traces his journey from his first flight to the unforgettable people and stories he’s collected over the years.
The Apple Original Film stars newcomer Clark Shotwell as a young airplane enthusiast Jeff, and Kelly Eviston-Quinnett as Jeff’s mum. Mother and son embark on a trip to Hollywood that turns into the trip of a lifetime.
“Between airline meals, charming flight attendants (played by Ella Bleu Travolta and Olga Hoffmann), unexpected stopovers, larger-than-life passengers, and a thrilling glimpse at first class, the journey unfolds in moments both magical and unexpected, charting the course for the boy’s future,” Festival de Cannes said in a press release.
A life journey marked by success and tragedy
At the time I interviewed Travolta at Hotel du Cap, his career was about to be propelled back to the kind of superstardom he’d experienced in the ’70s with Saturday Night Fever and Grease. (“Such a lonely time,” he confided. “I felt like I was driving a car on my own, and all my peers were in the rearview mirror.”)
Since then Travolta’s career, and life, has had its ups and downs. Two more of his films premiered in Cannes (‘She’s So Lovely’, 1997 and ‘Primary Colors’, 1998). He won three Golden Globes and an Emmy, and was nominated for two Academy Awards. But ‘Battlefield Earth’ bombed badly and in his personal life, he tragically lost his son Jett in 2009, and his wife Kelly Preston in 2020.
But the actor, professional pilot – and now director – has always found a way to pick himself up and keep going. At just 23, he lost his first love, actress Diana Hyland. Across the decades, Travolta’s life has been shaped by both remarkable success and personal tragedy.
Now, he returns to Cannes – not as the actor waiting to discover his own film for the first time, but as the filmmaker bringing one of his own personal stories to the world stage.
When will Travolta’s directorial debut be screened in Cannes?
Presented in the Cannes Premiere Selection, ‘Propeller One-Way Night Coach’ will have its world premiere in the Debussy Theater at the Palais des Festivals, in the presence of John Travolta.
Following its Cannes International Film Festival premiere, Travolta’s film will make its global debut on Apple TV on 29 May, 2026.
The 79th Festival de Cannes will take place from Tuesday, 12 May to Saturday, 23 May, 2026.
