John Travolta unsure he will direct again after Cannes debut

John Travolta says he cannot imagine directing another film unless he feels deeply passionate about the subject, following the Cannes Film Festival premiere of his directorial debut “Propeller One-Way Night Coach”.

Speaking to Reuters after the screening, the Hollywood star admitted the filmmaking process often felt overwhelming due to the scale of responsibilities involved.

“When people say, ‘Would you direct again?’ — I have to be passionate because it’s all-consuming, so you have to love it that much,” Travolta said.

The film holds particular personal significance for the actor. Set during the golden age of aviation in the 1950s and 1960s, “Propeller One-Way Night Coach” follows a young aviation enthusiast taking a life-changing flight to Los Angeles.

An experienced pilot himself, Travolta said the project reflected many of the things closest to him. “It was me being overwhelmed with the things I love and my family and my friends,” he said at Cannes.

The actor cast several members of his family in the film, including his daughter Ella Bleu Travolta. Speaking about the experience, Ella Bleu said watching her father and other experienced relatives work on set “felt like a master class”.

Travolta served as producer, financier, director, narrator, and screenwriter for the project, which is based on a book he published around three decades ago.

Ahead of the film’s premiere on Friday, the “Pulp Fiction” and “Grease” star was surprised with an honorary Palme d’Or at Cannes. Travolta became emotional while accepting the recognition, later saying the honour meant more to him than an Oscar.

Screened outside the festival’s main competition section, “Propeller One-Way Night Coach” is scheduled for release on Apple TV on May 29.

Critics responded warmly to the hour-long film, with several praising its unusual storytelling style. The Guardian described it as “a rather charmingly quirky and distinctively peculiar novella-sized bedtime story.”