The Aviators

A flight 50 years in the making

Every reunion has the potential to be special. But there’s nothing quite like a reunion of friends who have bonded through shared military service. This year, in honor of May’s Military Appreciation Month, we reunited a squadron of aviators who flew together in Vietnam for a story that only Xfinity could make possible.

Directed by Oscar-winner Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty), the 3-minute film—titled “The Aviators”—tells the story of a grandfather anticipating the weekend reunion of his fellow US Navy veterans. As he describes the group and the experience of flying an A-4 Skyhawk jet to his granddaughter, an idea sparks in her mind to surprise her grandfather’s friends with an experience they never thought they’d have: flying their jets again. But they do, thanks to the power of Xfinity Internet. 

Having notched over 1.2 Billion impressions online and coverage from press outlets like The Today Show, the film also represents a reunion for Bigelow and a few of her key collaborators from over the years, with cinematography by two-time Oscar-winning DP Greig Fraser, sound design by three-time Oscar-winning sound designer Paul N. J. Ottosson, and music from two-time Oscar winning composer Hans Zimmer.