The dream world of David Lynch was back on a big outdoor screen in Switzerland, at least for a few minutes, on Wednesday evening, namely in the form of a short film entitled An Unfinished Room… The Locarno Film Festival presented the emotional, heartfelt and surprise tribute and farewell to the cinema legend on the opening night of its 78th edition on Wednesday, courtesy of Lynch mentee Duwayne Dunham, who has worked as a director (Twin Peaks: The Return) and editor (Twin Peaks, Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart), and collaborators.
Before the Locarno 2025 opening film unspooled, artistic director Giona A. Nazzaro set up the surprise homage without mentioning Lynch by name, saying the tribute was in memory of a creative who “left an indelible mark” on cinema. “He touched all our souls, he touched all our emotion,” Nazarro continued. “His contribution to beauty, dreams, and art will never be forgotten. And tonight, we celebrate him with this tiny, wonderful masterpiece, An Unfinished Room…”
With excitement on Locarno’s Piazza Grande square palpable, the movie then started on the big screen.
The film featured words spoken by Lynch, discussing such things as his painting and film work and more, as well as scenes from such Lynch favorites as Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and The Elephant Man, along with What Did Jack Do? It also included footage of Lynch painting and making music.
The film was edited by Dunham, with its creative producers’ credits listing Dunham, S.E. Feinberg, and David Negron.
When the Twin Peaks theme started playing near the end of the short film, and the words “David Lynch 1946-2025″ showed up on the dark screen, the Locarno festival audience burst into enthusiastic applause.
Dunham is also in Locarno to world premiere his Legend of the Happy Worker, “a fable for our time,” starring Josh Whitehouse, Thomas Haden Church, and Colm Meaney out of competition. The director and some of his actors and creative team were shown on the big Locarno outdoor screen on the Wednesday opening night as they were arriving and walking the red carpet.