david lynch The American filmmaker, whose works included the surreal cult classics "Mulholland Drive" and "Twin Peaks," has died aged 78.

Lynch's death was announced by his family on his official Facebook page.

"He is no longer with us and there is a huge hole in the world," the post read.

"But, as he said, 'Focus on the donut, not the hole.' ... It was a beautiful day, with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way."

Lynch Revealed in August last year He was battling emphysema, a chronic lung disease caused by "years of smoking."

Considered by many to be a maverick filmmaker, he received three Best Director Oscar nominations during his career for "Blue Velvet," "The Elephant Man" and "Mulholland Drive."

His last major project was Twin Peaks: The Return, which aired in 2017, continuing a two-season series that aired in the early 1990s.

In 1990, he won the prestigious Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for "Wild at Heart."

The film's star Nicolas Cage told BBC World Service's NewsHour program he was one of the main reasons he fell in love with cinema.

“I once saw his movie Eraserhead in Santa Monica,” he said. "He was instrumental in getting me into filmmaking. He's one of a kind. He can't be replaced."

Film director Steven Spielberg said he was a "unique, visionary visionary who directed films that felt handmade."

"The world will miss such an original and unique voice," Spielberg said in an interview. Statement to Variety.

Director Ron Howard paid tribute to him on social media, calling him "Kind men and fearless artists who followed their hearts and souls proved that radical experimentation can produce unforgettable films."

Lynch, who directed the video for "Back of the Head" for musician Moby, said he was "heartbroken."

Many of Lynch's works The film is known for its surreal, dreamlike quality.

"Eraserhead," his first major work released in 1977, is full of dark, disturbing imagery.

A BBC commentator said: "While his imagination was clearly geared toward matters of great inner strength, it was still a modest feat by his later standards." explain 2001 movie.

May 2024 interview Speaking on BBC Radio 3's Sound of Film, Lynch described the process of working with the late composer Angelo Badalamenti, who designed many of the soundscapes that accompanied his vision.

"And I said, 'No, this is still too fast, not dark enough, heavy and ominous enough,'" Lynch recalled.

His work was recognized at the 2020 Academy Awards, where he received an Honorary Academy Award.

The director said last year that despite being diagnosed with emphysema, he was in "great shape" and would "never retire".

He added that the diagnosis was the "price" of his smoking habit.

But within months his condition worsened. on a november interview He told People magazine that he needed oxygen to walk.

Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch initially pursued a career in painting before turning to making short films in the 1960s.