John Travolta Presents ‘Grease’ at 12th IFF Panama, Declares Desire to Work With Latino Filmmakers
variety.comAnna Marie de la Fuente Calling all Latino filmmakers, John Travolta wants to work with you. Swinging by Panama to present his 1978 musical rom-com “Grease” at the 12th Panama International Film Festival (IFF Panama), Travolta professed his great love for “Mexico, Central America, South America, all of its parts.” “There is an incredible humanity that prevails and is different from anywhere else in the world,” he told Variety.
Surprised to hear that Robert de Niro had starred in the Argentine series “Nada,” Travolta exclaimed: “I would have loved that, I would have enjoyed being lured to South America to play a part for a while.” The closest he’s come to working with a Latino director was with Alfonso Cuarón, who produced the short film streaming on Disney+ “The Shepherd,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1975 novella, which follows a young Royal Air Force pilot flying home for Christmas across the North Sea.
When the pilot’s plane engine suffers a total electrical shutdown and runs out of fuel, a mysterious pilot (played by Travolta) appears in the mist to guide him to safety.
Travolta loved the book and held the rights for six years until they lapsed as he was too busy. He executive produced the short film and helped nail the technical jargon and details of the pilot’s flight, given his own decades-long experience as a licensed pilot.
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