CNN Film “Why We Dream” to Premiere Memorial Day at 8PM ET/PT
NEW YORK, NY – (May 5, 2026) – CNN Films will debut Why We Dream, the sweeping and intimate documentary from director Meredith Danluck, on Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, at 8pm ET/PT on CNN. The film chronicles the final generation of World War II veterans as they return to France and is produced by Delta Air Lines’ Window Seat Studios in partnership with Vice Media’s Pulse Films.
Timed to the National Moment of Remembrance, Why We Dream offers a powerful and deeply personal look at a dwindling generation of World War II veterans, following a group of centenarians as they return to Normandy, France, for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Featuring an original score by composer Christian Lundberg and Academy Award(R) winner Hans Zimmer, the film captures the enduring weight of memory and the urgency of preserving firsthand accounts through intimate reflections, rare archival material, and cinematic portraiture.
“Why We Dream is a living document – a message at the eleventh hour from the last voices of a generation who stood up to forces of tyranny” said Danluck. “Making this film deeply changed each of us who had the opportunity to work on it and forced us to see freedom and democracy not just in terms of our rights, but in terms of our responsibility.”
Following the premiere, CNN will present a special encore of Christiane Amanpour’s Emmy(R) Award-winning interview with the late WWII veteran Jake Larson, affectionately known as “Papa Jake,” who is also featured in Why We Dream. The conversation offers Larson’s personal reflections on his wartime experience, extending the film’s themes of legacy, sacrifice, and remembrance.
“Why We Dream is a powerful reminder of the human stories behind one of history’s most defining moments,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development for CNN Worldwide. “As we mark Memorial Day, we are honored to share the voices of these veterans, whose reflections offer a rare and deeply personal window into the past.”
Continuing that legacy, Delta Air Lines will yet again bring a group of veterans back to France in partnership with the Best Defense Foundation and Michelin to commemorate the 82nd anniversary of D-Day. This year’s Normandy Legacy Flight includes three of the veterans featured in this film.
“As both a veteran and proud military spouse, a Delta pilot, and the President of Delta’s Veterans Business Resource Group, flying these World War II veterans back to Normandy was one of the greatest honors of my life” said Theresa Livingston, current Delta Captain and retired Air Force Lt. Colonel. “The courage, sacrifice, and humanity that the each represent was captured in Why We Dream – a reminder to us all that connection isn’t just about where we fly, but the stories and legacies we carry forward. To see these veterans honored on Memorial Day is deeply meaningful, and I hope this film inspires people to remember and carry their legacy on.”
Why We Dream is directed and produced by Meredith Danluck. The film is produced by Drake Springer for Window Seat Studios, Delta Air Lines’ original content arm, and Casey Engelhardt and Matthew Shattuck for Pulse Films, a VICE Media company. Lundberg and Zimmer composed the score via Bleeding Fingers Music.
Why We Dream premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival and was an official selection of the 2025 Deauville American Film Festival in Normandy, France.
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About CNN Originals
The CNN Originals group develops, produces and acquires original, long-form unscripted programming for CNN Worldwide. Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent, CNN Originals and creative development, oversees the award-winning CNN Originals portfolio that includes the following premium content brands: CNN Original Series, CNN Films, CNN FlashDocs, and CNN Studios, an internal production studio which creates long-form programming for CNN’s global platforms. Since 2012, the team has overseen and executive produced more than 50 multi-part documentary series and 70 feature-length documentary films, earning more than 120 awards and 450 nominations for the cable network, including CNN Films’ first Academy Award(R) for Navalny. Acclaimed titles include the Peabody Award winning and 13-time Emmy(R) Award-winning Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown; five time Emmy(R) nominee, Apollo 11, directed by Todd Douglas Miller; Eva Longoria: Searching for Spain and Emmy(R) nominated Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico; the Emmy(R) Award-nominated “Decades Series”: The Sixties, The Seventies, The Eighties, The Nineties, The 2000s, and The 2010s, executive produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman; I’m Chevy Chase and You’re Not directed by Emmy(R) winner Marina Zenovich; The Last Movie Stars, directed by Ethan Hawke about the lives and careers of actors and humanitarians Joanne Woodward and Paul Newman; Grammy(R) Award nominee Little Richard: I Am Everything, directed by Lisa Cortés; the Oscar(R), BAFTA, PGA, and duPont-Columbia Award-winning, Navalny directed by Daniel Roher; The Many Lives of Martha Stewart; This is Life with Lisa Ling; Primetime Emmy(R) and duPont-Columbia Award-winning, RBG, directed by Betsy West and Julie Cohen; See It Loud: The History of Black Television, executive produced by LeBron James and Maverick Carter; Space Shuttle Columbia: The Final Flight in partnership with the BBC; the Producers Guild Award and three-time Emmy(R) Award-winning Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy; BAFTA nominee and Directors Guild Award winner, Three Identical Strangers, directed by Tim Wardle; and the five-time Emmy(R) Award-winning United Shades of America with W. Kamau Bell; and the five-time Emmy(R) Award-winning The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper. CNN Originals can be seen on CNN, to stream via a CNN All Access subscription, on the CNN Original Hub on HBO Max and discovery+, on the CNN Originals FAST channel, and with a pay TV subscription via CNN.com, CNN apps and cable operator platforms.
About Delta Air Lines
For the past five years, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) has flown World War II veterans back to Normandy as part of the Normandy Legacy Flight. Delta’s deep commitment to supporting those who have served extends to the company’s Veterans Business Resource Group, which plays a key role in honoring and uplifting military communities across the company and the world. Several Delta employees who are members of the BRG are participating in this year’s return as caregivers, volunteering their time to ensure each veteran traveler is supported throughout the journey. The program is managed by Virginie Durr, who was recently awarded the French Legion of Honor, France’s highest distinction, for her work strengthening the ties between the U.S. and France and her tireless dedication to preserving the legacy of World War II veterans through the Normandy Legacy Flight. Through exceptional service and the power of innovation, Delta never stops looking for ways to make every trip feel tailored to every customer. There are more than 100,000 Delta people leading the way to deliver a world-class customer experience on up to 5,500 daily Delta and Delta Connection flights to more than 300 destinations across six continents, connecting people to places and to each other.
