David Keith Lynch was born on January 20, 1946 in Missoula, Montana. He is an American filmmaker, painter, video artist, and performance artist.

After his first film, Eraserhead (1976), became a cult hit on the midnight movie circuit, Lynch was tapped by Mel Brooks to direct The Elephant Man (1980). The film was a critical and box-office success and he was nominated for an Oscar.

His next film was 1984's unsuccessful version of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel, Dune, but he bounced back with Blue Velvet (1986) and firmly established himself as a unique filmmaker who could appeal to more than arthouse crowds. He has ventured into television, most famously for a Calvin Klein commercial and for the series Twin Peaks (1990).

His other feature films include Wild at Heart (1990), Lost Highway (1997) and The Straight Story (1999). His 2001 film Mulholland Drive earned him another Oscar nomination for Best Director.

Director

• Chacun son cinéma ou Ce petit coup au coeur quand la lumière s'éteint et que le film commence (2007)
• Boat (2007)
• Inland Empire (2006)
• Rammstein: Lichtspielhaus (2003)
• The Short Films of David Lynch (2002)
• Darkened Room (2002)
• Dumbland (2002)
• Rabbits (2002)
• Mulholland Drive (2001)
• The Straight Story (1999)
• Lost Highway (1997)
• Lumière et compagnie (1995)
• "Hotel Room" (2 episodes, 1993)
• "On the Air" (1992)
• Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992)
• "Twin Peaks" (6 episodes, 1990-1991)
• "American Chronicles" (1990)
• Wild at Heart (1990)
• Industrial Symphony No. 1: The Dream of the Broken Hearted (1990)
• "Français vus par, Les" (1988)
• Blue Velvet (1986)
• Dune (1984)
• The Elephant Man (1980)
• Eraserhead (1977)
• The Amputee (1974)
• The Grandmother (1970)
• The Alphabet (1968)
• Six Figures Getting Sick (1966)

Awards

• Independent Spirit Awards Special Distinction 2007
• National Society of Film Critics Best Experimental Film “Inland Empire” 2007
• Cesar Best Foreign Film "Mulholland Dr." 2002
• Chicago Film Critics Award Best Picture "Mulholland Dr." 2002
• Chicago Film Critics Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2002
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award Best Picture "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Cannes Film Festival Best Director Award "Mulholland Drive" 2001
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• National Society of Film Critics Award Best Picture "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• New York Film Critics Circle Award Best Film "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• New York Film Critics Online Award Best Picture "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• New York Film Critics Online Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• New York Film Critics Online Award Best Original Screenplay "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Online Film Critics Society Award Best Picture "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Online Film Critics Society Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Online Film Critics Society Award Best Original Screenplay "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• Toronto Film Critics Association Award Best Director "Mulholland Dr." 2001
• British Independent Film Award Best Foreign Independent Film - English Language "The Straight Story" 2000
• European Film Award Screen International Award for a Non-European Film "The Straight Story" 1999
• American Film Institute Franklin J Schaffner Alumni Medal 1991
• Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or "Wild at Heart" 1990
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Director "Blue Velvet" 1986
• National Society of Film Critics Award Best Director "Blue Velvet" 1986
• Cesar Best Foreign Film "The Elephant Man" 1982