John Travolta prepares to take-off with directorial debut at Cannes Film Festival

John Travolta is to set to make a sensational return to the Cannes Film Festival in France next month with his directorial debut Propeller One-Way Night Coach.

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Presented in the Cannes Premiere Selection, it's an adaptation of the book published in 1997 by the Hollywood star, a seasoned professional pilot who's been obsessed with aviation since childhood.

Nearly 30 years ago, this passion led him to write and illustrate a book for all ages for his son that was inspired by his own childhood memories, from his first airplane flight to the unforgettable people and stories he has collected over the years.

Up in the air

The story unfolds as a nostalgic journey set in the golden age of aviation.

Young airplane enthusiast Jeff (played by newcomer Clark Shotwell) and his mother (Kelly Eviston-Quinnett) set off on a one-way cross country odyssey to Hollywood, which transforms a simple flight 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.

For those of you who might have slept or been elsewhere during the past 50 years, Travolta established himself as an iconic pop culture figure after appearing in classics such as Saturday Night Fever (1977), Grease (1978), Blow Out (1981) and Hairspray (2007).

Some may be more familiar with him due to three films that were presented at Cannes, Pulp Fiction (1994), She’s So Lovely (1997) and Primary Colors (1998).

Along the way the 72-year old has won a Palme d’Or, been twice nominated for an Academy Award, picked up three Golden Globes and an Emmy.

Following its Cannes International Film Festival premiere, Propeller One-Way Night Coach will make its global debut on Apple TV on 29 May 2026.