Hollywood actor John Travolta could not contain his emotions at the Cannes Film Festival when he unexpectedly received the honorary 'Golden Palm Branch'. The artist was so moved that he clutched his chest and teared up right on stage.
Thierry Frémaux, the artistic director of the festival, presented the award to Travolta just before the screening of his film 'Propeller One-Way Night Coach'. A visibly moved Travolta clutched his chest and teared up.
"What a surprise!" exclaimed an excited Travolta in French, and the crowd erupted in thunderous applause. "I can't believe it. This is the last thing I expected."
Addressing the director of the Cannes Film Festival, Thierry Frémaux, Travolta added: "You said it would be a special evening, but I didn't know it would mean this." Frémaux replied: "We knew!"
This year, John Travolta came to Cannes to present his directorial debut—a family film supported by Apple, based on a children's book from 1997.
The actor himself described the project as "the most personal film of his career."
The plot of the film takes viewers back to the golden age of aviation. The main character is a boy named Jeff, who is fascinated by airplanes and embarks on a journey across America to Hollywood with his mother.
One of the roles in the film was played by the actor's daughter—Ella Bleu Travolta.
Cannes has already announced, before the start of the 2026 festival, that director Peter Jackson and actress Barbra Streisand will receive honorary statuettes on the opening and closing nights of the festival, respectively. However, Cannes has made it a rule to annually present at least one unexpected honorary palm, which was awarded to Denzel Washington last year.
Previously, Travolta had showcased films such as 'Pulp Fiction' (1994), 'She's So Lovely' (1997), and 'Primary Colors' (1998) at the Cannes Film Festival.
According to the editorial team, John Travolta's emotional reaction was one of the most genuine moments of this year's Cannes Festival. Even after decades in his career, the actor continues to perceive the recognition from the public and colleagues not as a formality, but as a truly personal event—and this is what makes him one of Hollywood's most beloved stars.
