Sometimes, flying doesn’t just mean transporting a person from one city to another.

"Why We Dreamed," a documentary, screened today at the Tribeca Film Festival, chronicles the moving story of Normandy's legacy flight, a program that brings World War II veterans to Normandy, France in honor of D-Day, the most bloody battle in human history, and pays homage to the cause of freedom on these beaches and to the enormous sacrifices on those beaches. The program is managed by a veteran focused, nonprofit Best Defense Foundation in partnership with Delta and Michelin.

For director Meredith Danluck, the experience of knowing the last surviving WWWII survivor in the country is changing lives.

Danrak told type. “Throughout the last few years, spending with veterans and hearing their stories has changed my perspective on the values ​​of democracy, the importance of community, service and humility – values ​​that have really disappeared from our cultural dialogue and the culture as a whole.”

"Why Our Dreams" is produced by Pulse Films and Delta Air Lines. Since the program began in 2022, Delta has promoted flights to Normandy, which has helped the documentary fund the documentary. Danluck and Pulse Casey Engelhardt and Matthew Shattuck made the film with Delta Creative Studios Drake Springer. Hans Zimmer and Christian Lundberg made up the score.

“We believe that the power of storytelling can connect people across generations, across cultures and throughout time.” “All 500,000 people who step onto the plane every day have a story, a unique space we can claim to. Telling these stories creates a real emotional connection with customers, demonstrating the power of their journey we have the ability to support.

Tillman added that Delta's participation in the Normandy traditional flight program makes sense for employees across the company.

“Because our 11% workforce is made up of veterans, our commitment to those who are running deeper – so we are particularly proud to ensure that the stories of these World War II heroes, who have changed the course of history, have never been forgotten and can inspire future generations,” she said.

Danluck's previous honors include the 2018 TV series State Sate Sleep. It tells the personal stories of eight veterans – seven men and one woman – in a way that articulates the world forever. The 104-year-old second lieutenant, Lieutenant Betty L. Huffman-Rosevear, stationed in the Pacific as part of the Army Nurse Corps, is the key host of the film.

The doctor's focus expanded after Huffman-Rosevear posted a deputy comment to Danluck in an interview.

“Betty said something that really triggered me, and that was, ‘I often think of the people I serve, and I want to know what they did to their lives.” That’s when it clicks: It’s not only a story about the journey to Normandy, but it’s actually about the impact of experiences in war on them as people and how it shapes their lives and essentially shapes America in the 20th century. ” Danrak said.

The 2025 Normandy Heritage Flight takes off from Atlanta on June 1 and will commemorate then-General and future President Dwight D. Eisenhower on June 6 on June 9.

Danluck filmed extensive videos at last year’s event, marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Danrak said walking around Normandy and the sprawling region with World War II veterans is similar to walking around with the world’s largest rock star. The film depicts scenes of local residents of all ages choking veterans in wheelchairs with hugs, kisses and shouts of “Murdy.”

The lasting influence of the Nazi occupation of France was deeply touching Danrak when he made the film.

"As we continue, we become more acutely aware of France's occupation for nearly five years. It's really profound to make these people feel the weight of oppression, and then the weight of liberation," she said. "In France, it's also a revelation to see how the children there know about history and still have that kind of gratitude."

UTA is working with Puls and Delta to buy a 90-minute movie in hopes of a dramatic release.

"We made this movie because we have a deep sense of responsibility for these veterans and their legacy, and for us it not only means offering them annual flights to Normandy. We hope our storytelling is real, but also unexpected, and this approach may surprise people from airlines," Springer said. “These stories are worth mentioning.”