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David Lynch Biography

Birth Name:David Keith Lynch

Birth Place:Missoula, Montana, United States

Profession Director, Soundtrack, Writer, Producer, Actor, Sound department, Cinematographer, Editor, Animation department, Music department, Special effects, Art department, Production designer, Visual effects, Editorial department, Camera department

Fast Facts

  • In 2005, he joined the board of trustees at the Maharishi University of Management
  • Founded the David Lynch Foundation For Consciousness-Based Education and Peace in 2005 to help fund research on the positive effects of meditation techniques on learning
  • Roomed with musician Peter Wolf while attending the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
  • Planned to travel around Europe for three years to train with painter Oskar Kokoschka, but returned to the U․S․ after only 15 days when he became disillusioned with the trip
  • Quote: "It's better not to know so much about what things mean or how they might be interpreted or you'll be too afraid to let things keep happening․"
  • Known for creating films that are dark, sexually charged and graphically violent
  • Usually references French culture in his projects
  • Was offered the chance to direct "Star Wars: Episode VI-Return of the Jedi," but turned George Lucas down
  • While an Eagle Scout, he was invited with other Boy Scouts to the inauguration of President John F․ Kennedy
  • DVD releases of his films do not have any chapter stops because he believes that movies should be viewed from beginning to end

Awards

  • 1970Grand Award-Best Short Subject: winner
  • 1978Grand Prize-: nominated
  • 1978Antennae II Award-: winner
  • 1980Honorable Mention-: winner
  • 1981Oscar-Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium: nominated
  • 1981Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1981Grand Prize-: winner
  • 1981BAFTA Film Award-Best Direction: nominated
  • 1981BAFTA Film Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 1981DGA Award-Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures: nominated
  • 1981Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1981WGA Award (Screen)-Best Drama Adapted from Another Medium: nominated
  • 1982César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): winner
  • 1982International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1982Critics Award-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 1985Hugo-Best Dramatic Presentation: nominated
  • 1985Jupiter Award-Best International Film: nominated
  • 1986LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1986LAFCA Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 1986NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1986Caixa de Catalunya-Best Film: winner
  • 1987Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 1987Grand Prize-: winner
  • 1987BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1987Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1987Independent Spirit Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 1987Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1987Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 1987Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 1987NSFC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 1987WGA Award (Screen)-Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen: nominated
  • 1990Palme d'Or-: winner
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Drama Series: nominated
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Music and Lyrics: nominated
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Main Title Theme Music: nominated
  • 1990Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing in a Drama Series: nominated
  • 1990Bronze Horse-: nominated
  • 1991Amanda-Best Foreign Feature Film (Årets utenlandske spillefilm): nominated
  • 1991International Fantasy Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1991Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
  • 1992Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1992Yoga Award-Worst Foreign Director: winner
  • 1993Saturn Award-Best Writing: nominated
  • 1997Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1997Stinker Award-Worst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!): nominated
  • 1998Chainsaw Award-Best Screenplay: nominated
  • 1998Audience Award-Best Foreign Film (Melhor Filme Estrangeiro): winner
  • 1999Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 1999Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 1999Screen International Award-: winner
  • 1999NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 1999SDFCS Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2000Golden Reel-Best Foreign Film: winner
  • 2000Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): winner
  • 2000Best Film of the 1990s-Best Film: nominated
  • 2000CFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2000Robert-Best American Film (Årets amerikanske film): winner
  • 2000Independent Spirit Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2000Sierra Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2001ACCA-Best Director: nominated
  • 2001ACCA-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
  • 2001BSFC Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2001Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
  • 2001Best Director-: winner
  • 2001Palme d'Or-: nominated
  • 2001Fotogramas de Plata-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 2001Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: winner
  • 2001LAFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2001NYFCC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2001NYFCO Award-Best Screenplay, Original: winner
  • 2001NYFCO Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2001Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 2001Best Film-: nominated
  • 2001TFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2001VVFP Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2001VVFP Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
  • 2002AFI Award-Director of the Year: nominated
  • 2002Oscar-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002Saturn Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002CFCA Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2002CFCA Award-Best Original Score: nominated
  • 2002Audience Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2002Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002Audience Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
  • 2002Chlotrudis Award-Best Original Screenplay: winner
  • 2002César-Best Foreign Film (Meilleur film étranger): winner
  • 2002DFWFCA Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002Edgar-Best Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2002Golden Globe-Best Director - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2002Golden Globe-Best Screenplay - Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2002Silver Ribbon-Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero): nominated
  • 2002NSFC Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002OFTA Film Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002OFCS Award-Best Director: winner
  • 2002OFCS Award-Best Original Screenplay: nominated
  • 2002PFCS Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2002Golden Aries-Best Foreign Film: nominated
  • 2003Bodil-Best American Film (Bedste amerikanske film): winner
  • 2003Sant Jordi-Best Foreign Film (Mejor Película Extranjera): winner
  • 2006ICP Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2006Stinker Award-Worst Sense of Direction (Stop them before they direct again!): nominated
  • 2006Future Film Festival Digital Award-: winner
  • 2007Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: nominated
  • 2007Chlotrudis Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2008Girona Film Critics Award-Best Picture: winner
  • 2008Special Award-Night at the Museum Award: winner
  • 2010Best Film of the 2000s-Best Film: winner
  • 2010Gold Derby Film Award-Director of the Decade: nominated
  • 2010Gold Derby Film Award-Original Screenplay of the Decade: nominated
  • 2013Critics' Choice TV Award-Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2013Gold Derby TV Award-Comedy Guest Actor: nominated
  • 2013INOCA TV-Best Guest Actor in a Drama or Comedy Series: nominated
  • 2017Bram Stoker Award-Screenplay: nominated
  • 2017Top 10 Film Award-Best Film: winner
  • 2017Emmy-Outstanding Science and Technology Documentary: nominated
  • 2017VVFP Award-Best Director: nominated
  • 2018Saturn Award-Best Guest Performance in a Television Series: winner
  • 2018INOCA TV-Best Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or TV Movie: nominated
  • 2018Golden Reel Award-Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing - Music Score and Musical for Episodic Short Form Broadcast Media: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie or a Dramatic Special: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Single-Camera Picture Editing for a Limited Series or Movie: nominated
  • 2018Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Sound Editing for a Limited Series, Movie or Special: nominated
  • 2019Best Film of the 2010s-Best Film: winner
  • 2022Septimius Award-Best Producer: winner
  • 2022SFC Award-Scene Stealer: nominated
  • 2023Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
  • 2023Gold Derby Film Award-Ensemble Cast: nominated