{"id":443674,"date":"2026-05-15T21:02:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T21:02:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/443674\/"},"modified":"2026-05-15T21:02:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T21:02:08","slug":"john-travolta-gets-honorary-cannes-palme-dor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/443674\/","title":{"rendered":"John Travolta Gets Honorary Cannes Palme d’Or"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tJohn Travolta<\/a> touched down at Cannes<\/a> with his directorial debut, Propeller One-Way Night Coach, at the Cannes Film Festival<\/a>, where he was given the honorary Palme d\u2019Or.<\/p>\n

\n\tFestival head Thierry Fr\u00e9maux gave Travolta the honor. \u201cYou said this would be a special night, but I didn\u2019t think you meant this. This is a humbling moment,\u201d said Travolta. \u201cThis is beyond the Oscar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe film, which is set to debut on Apple on May 29, is based on Travolta\u2019s book of the same name and follows a young aviation enthusiast, Jeff, and his mother as they embark on a cross-country flight to Hollywood.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhen John came to us in the fall, he was very humble and shy with the idea of showing the film as an official selec[tion],\u201d said Fr\u00e9maux, revealing that Propeller was the first film chosen for the 79th edition of the French festival and calling Travolta \u201cone of the greatest artists of the 20th and 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWhen you told me this would be the earliest film accepted, I cried,\u201d said Travolta. Fr\u00e9maux joked, \u201cI was afraid Berlin could have stolen the film.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tPrior to the screening<\/a>, Travolta called the film, \u201cthe most personal thing I\u2019ve ever done.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHe also joked about the influence that past Palme d\u2019Or winners had on Propeller.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cMy favorite movies in my life have always been the winners of the Palme d\u2019Or \u2026 and you\u2019ll see them all demonstrated in this movie,\u201d he said,<\/a> laughing at the end of his remarks.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Travolta-starring Pulp Fiction from director Quentin Tarantino premiered at Cannes, going on to win the Palme d\u2019Or. Grease and Saturday Night Fever both played as Cannes beach screenings, while 1998 drama Primary Colors played out of competition and 1997 thriller She\u2019s So Lovely played in competition.<\/p>\n

\n\tElla Bleu Travolta, who appears in the film as a flight attendant, was on hand for the screening at the Debussy Theater. Clark Shotwell, Kelly Eviston-Quinnett and Olga Hoffmann also star in Propeller. After the screening, John Travolta thanked Prince Albert II of Monaco for being at the premiere.<\/p>\n

\n\tSpeaking about how the film might resonate with audiences, John Travolta said, \u201cthere was an era where architecture, aviation, automobiles, clothing, style had a lot of hope and adventure and you looked forward to what was next. I think to some degree this is missing today, where young people miss this romance of having hope. Maybe it\u2019s just a gentle reminder or could be.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tTravolta, who produced, financed, narrated, directed and wrote the movie, told the audience, \u201cOther people wanted to produce it and direct it. But it was so personal. I don\u2019t know if they could capture it. I just wanted to, at the end of my chapters in my life, give a reflection of where it started for me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen asked if he would direct again, Travolta said, \u201cFor 55 years, I have watched people do it well. I have watched people do it not so well. I\u2019ve watched mistakes, and I really believe that I can navigate around all of that, but I really feel I would have to have passion about the material.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Cannes audience gave Travolta a warm welcome, clapping multiple times during the screening and giving him a standing ovation. Said Travolta, \u201cWhat a night for me, thank you all for being here and for witnessing my directorial debut.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tLooking back at his career<\/a> through a clip reel before his Palme d\u2019Or presentation, Travolta said he was \u201cvery emotional.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cYou feel a mixture of things because every image has a memory,\u201d he added. \u201cIt\u2019s wild but it\u2019s my life. I\u2019ve been doing film most of my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tWatch Travolta receive his honorary Palme d\u2019Or in the video below.<\/p>\n

John Travolta teary-eyed as he is presented with (surprise) honorary Palme d\u2019Or from Thierry Fremaux ahead of the world premiere of his directorial debut Propeller One-Way Night Coach. Wild standing ovation for the actor who has had a number of films here over the years. pic.twitter.com\/jv5Xvv5P0F<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n