Delta’s 'A Century of Flight' documentary debuts

Delta's 'A Century of Flight' documentary debuts

Following the premiere at Atlanta's iconic Fox Theatre, Delta's Centennial film, "A Century of Flight," is now available to watch online.

On Monday, Sept. 15, thousands of Delta people, partners and community members gathered at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta for a first look at the airline's Centennial documentary, "A Century of Flight." Previewed in the trailer above and now available to view here, the 45-minute documentary was produced and directed by Academy-Award nominee Joshua Seftel of Smartypants Pictures.

It tells the story of Delta's 100-year climb and how the airline rose from humble beginnings as a crop-dusting company to a leader in global aviation, overcoming countless challenges along the way. The story is told by employees at every level of the company, including past and present Delta CEOs Ed Bastian, Gerald "Jerry" Grinstein and Richard Anderson.

"The story told in this film belongs to every Delta employee as well as the millions of customers who have been part of our 100-year journey," said Bastian. "It's a story of resilience, courage and the relentless drive to always keep climbing."

Premiere highlights

Atlanta's Fox Theatre, known for hosting world-famous Broadway shows, concerts and other live productions, buzzed with excitement as Delta employees and fans stood in line for the highly anticipated premiere.

Arriving guests were greeted by uniformed brand ambassadors and offered movie-themed snacks and beverages as they mingled in the lobby before filing into the 4,600-seat auditorium. Notable guests included former CEO Jerry Grinstein, Ambassador Andrew Young and a representative from the Office of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens.

Once the lights dimmed and the film began, a range of emotions could be observed in the crowd as the story of Delta's first 100 years unfolded. The entire room cheered and applauded throughout the film for Delta's moments of triumph and the people at the heart of it all.

"It was awesome," said Airport Customer Service agent Jamie Bennett. "Just to understand the history. It really makes me emotional."

Following the screening, award-winning journalist Brooke Baldwin moderated a discussion with Bastian and Seftel, reflecting on Delta's story and the creation of the film.

"This is the stuff of Hollywood," Seftel said. "Immediately we were drawn to it and excited by it. We just thought, we have to tell this story."

A film two years in the making, Seftel admits he was nervous to show Bastian the first cut - but it exceeded expectations.

"He captured the essence of what we all believe," Bastian said. "This isn't just 100 years of Delta, this is 100 years of American history. You think about what we get to do, in terms of bringing the country, the world together…that's our story."

The discussion was also filmed and will be available soon as a special feature alongside the documentary online.

The film will be featured on Delta's In-Flight Entertainment starting on Nov. 1.

• Delta's Centennial