There are few people whose names are bywords for an entire visual or artistic style – but David Lynch’s is one of them. Lynchian has become a descriptor for the auteur’s distinctive filmmaking style, which blends white-bread Americana with sinister, surrealist undertones, lush visuals, incongruous music and stories that blur the lines between reality and dreams. Lynch, who passed away in January, and his work will be the subject of a month-long retrospective at the BFI in January next year. His singular approach will be celebrated via a series of film screenings, talks, immersive experiences and more throughout January, when he would have marked his 80th birthday.
At BFI Southbank, Lynch fans will be able to catch his filmography, ranging from his first feature, Eraserhead to 1980’s The Elephant Man, his much-panned adaptation of Frank Herbert’s sci-fi novel Dune and cult classics like Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet. Several films will be screened at BFI Imax and on BFI Player. Various documentaries will give greater glimpses into the filmmaker’s work and life, and a handful of discussions will speak about topics like Lynch’s impact on the trans community. True buffs can take a four-week course with adult education centre City Lit, which digs into his films from an array of perspectives.
Naturally, Twin Peaks will be extensively covered. Start practising your backwards talking now: an installation recreating the show’s famous Red Room – chevron floor, velvet drapes and all – will immerse visitors in the anxiety-inducing claustrophobia of the space. The original Twin Peaks pilot on 35mm film will be screened, as will the show’s prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces, which Lynch assembled from outtakes and deleted scenes and released in 2014.
Beyond the screens, Lynch-inspired music and digital art projections will liven up a dancefloor on January 17, there’ll be a David Lynch quiz on January 30 and a series of sip and paint sessions will celebrate the director’s first love: making art. Lynch fans will be happier than a lady with a log.
David Lynch: The Dreamer runs at BFI Southbank and Imax from January 1–February 1, 2026. Tickets on sale to BFI Patrons from December 1, BFI Members from December 2 and the general public from December 4.
