John Travolta makes directing debut at Cannes Film Festival

John Travolta makes directing debut at Cannes Film Festival Culture

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05:50

Issued on: 15/05/2026 - 16:36

05:50 min Share Play (05:50 min) From the show Reading time 1 min

FRANCE 24's Culture Editor Eve Jackson is live at Cannes, where Day 4 is shaping up to be one of the most star-studded yet. The biggest arrival of the day is John Travolta – star of "Grease", "Saturday Night Fever" and "Pulp Fiction" – presenting his directorial debut "Propeller One-Way Night Coach", based on a children's novel he wrote for his son about the golden age of aviation. A licensed pilot as well as a Hollywood legend, this is a passion project in every sense.

Meanwhile, French icon Catherine Deneuve arrives in Cannes not with one film but two. At 82, she's in official competition with Asghar Farhadi's ensemble drama "Parallel Tales" alongside Isabelle Huppert and Vincent Cassel, and later this Friday returns to the red carpet for "Gentle Monster" with Léa Seydoux. 

Watch moreHuppert, Cassel and Sandra Hüller light up Cannes 2026 as Farhadi and Pawlikowski premiere new films

Also generating buzz is "Karma", Guillaume Canet's psychological thriller starring his former partner Marion Cotillard – their first film since the couple split up. Cotillard plays a woman whose life unravels when her young godson mysteriously disappears.

By: Eve JACKSON Laura DI BIASIO Magali FAURE Marion CHAVAL Solène CLAUSSE Advertising Related keywords

• culture
• Cinema
• Cannes Film Festival
• US cinema