The international film community pays tribute to the late great David Lynch, who died this week at the age of 78.
Italian-American actress Isabella Rossellini, who had her breakthrough role in Lynch’s film Blue velvetwho has been Lynch’s romantic partner for several years, posted a recent photo of the two on her Instagram early Friday morning, including the simple caption: “I loved him so much. Thanks for all your kind messages.”
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The Cannes and Venice Film Festivals on Friday honored the American author for his influence on contemporary cinema.
The Cannes Film Festival said in a statement after announcing the director’s death on Thursday: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of David Lynch, a unique and visionary artist whose work influenced cinema like few other artists.” “He left behind a body of rare and timeless works, whose films will continue to fuel our imagination and inspire all who see cinema as an art capable of revealing the indescribable.”
It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of David Lynch, a unique and visionary artist whose work influenced cinema like few others. He won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990 for his film Sailor and Lula, then the Prix de la Mise en scène in 2001 for his film… pic.twitter.com/r7K6LzIDWS
– Cannes Festival (@Festival_Cannes) January 17, 2025
Lynch was a regular attendee at Cannes. He won the Palme d’Or for Wild at heart In 1990, he won the Best Director Award Mulholland Drive In 2001. He served as president of the jury in 2002. He also presented his features Twin Peaks: Fire Walks With Me (1992) and Straight story (1999) in Cannes competition and returned to the festival in 2017 for a special screening of his film Twin Peaks Reboot.
The Venice Film Festival remembered Lynch as “one of the filmmakers who has greatly influenced contemporary art cinema, thanks to his personal, visionary style and his constant search for the limits of cinematic form.” Venice awarded Lynch a Golden Lion Award for Career Achievement in 2006, at a screening of the film Inland Empirehis last feature film as director.
Hollywood is also in mourning for Lynch, with the likes of Steven Spielberg, James Gunn, Ron Howard and Judd Apatow paying tribute to the iconic director.
“I loved David’s films. Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and Elephant man “It defined him as a unique dreamer and visionary who directed films that were handcrafted,” Spielberg said in a statement. THR. “I met David when he played John Ford Fabelmans. Here was one of my heroes – David Lynch playing one of my heroes. It was surreal and looked like a scene from one of David’s own movies. The world will miss such an original and unique voice. His films have truly stood the test of time and always will.
Kyle MacLachlan, star Twin Peaks, Blue velvetand Lynch Sand dunesShare A Honest post on Instagram With nine photos and a caption that read: “While the world lost an amazing artist, I lost a dear friend who imagined a future for me and allowed me to travel in worlds I could never have imagined on my own.”
In a statement to THRthe American Film Institute described Lynch as “an American asset… Through the decades, David’s influence on cinema has proven indelible in his films and art – and he has always given back to the American Film Institute – championing storytellers who wrote their own rules and came up with something different.” During a seminar on campus, he shared this timeless advice with colleagues: “Tell the stories inside you. Everyone has those stories that come along. Just be true to those ideas and have fun implementing them.”
“There is simply no one like David,” Directors Guild of America President Leslie Linka Glatter said in a statement. “He was a visionary to his core – raising visual storytelling in film and television to a whole new level, inspiring many directors to take risks and see new possibilities. He embraced the opportunity as a young director just starting out when I joined.” Twin Peaks In the early 1990s, he changed my life, and I will be forever grateful to have known him… I join many filmmakers who were deeply affected by David’s life and work in mourning his loss today.
“Rest in peace, David Lynch,” James Gunn said on Channel X. “She inspired a lot of us.”
Rest in peace David Lynch. You have inspired many of us. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KkZ1WgmzyV
– James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 16, 2025