John Travolta was taken by surprise at the Cannes Film Festival when he was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement on Friday.
The "Pulp Fiction" and "Grease" star said he had not expected the honour and appeared visibly moved.
"I just can't believe it. This is beyond the Oscar,” the 72-year-old said.
Travolta received the trophy shortly before the screening of his directorial debut, "Propeller One-Way Night Coach." The story is based on a children’s book he once wrote for his son Jett, who died in 2009. The film follows an 8-year-old boy on his first flight — a subject close to Travolta, an avid pilot.
Travolta rose to global fame in the late 1970s with films such as "Saturday Night Fever" and "Grease." The award also marks a full-circle moment: "Pulp Fiction," directed by Quentin Tarantino and starring Travolta as hitman Vincent Vega, won the Palme d’Or in Cannes in 1994.
Asked by festival director Thierry Frémaux whether this marked the start of a second career as a director, Travolta did not give a definitive answer. He said he makes films out of passion — and that this project was no exception.
His directorial debut was met with enthusiastic applause in Cannes.
