The product of four years’ work and more than 20 interviews with the man himself, David Lynch: The Art Life is an origin story, therapy session and celebration of the formative years of David Lynch. It’s making its bow at the Venice Film Festival this weekend, in advance of a date at the BFI London Film Festival, and has an exclusive new clip to share with Empire readers.
This candid footage charts a young Lynch’s traumatic move from the serenity of Boise, Idaho to Alexandria, Virginia. He relates his sense of dislocation, charting the same edgier, unsettled mood that courses through many of his movies.
Explains director Jon Nguyen of his "private memoir" of the auteur: "Having worked on different projects with David Lynch over the past decade, we've always been captivated by his personal stories, so to have the opportunity to make a documentary and share these stories with Empire's readers, was something we were really excited about.
"From the very beginning, we wanted to make a film that focused on his early years, the period before Lynch discovered fame. We felt this period would be rich with clues to understanding such an enigmatic artist. Our intention wasn't to pull back the curtain on the wizard, but to reveal the individual."
David Lynch: The Art Life premieres on Sunday, 4 September in Venice and at the LFF in October. Expect an unprecedented glimpse inside Lynch’s LA compound, a creative space where his music, art and films come together.