Angel Hu, Contributing Photographer

The Institute Library of New Haven screened David Lynch’s films to honor the filmmaker’s legacy and support Los Angeles communities in the aftermath of the wildfires. 

Mere days after the fire began on Jan. 15, visionary American filmmaker David Lynch passed away at 78. Known for his surrealist cinematography, Lynch’s films often feature dreamlike imagery, nonlinear narratives and unsettling themes lurking beneath mundane life. 

The Institute Library, one of the city’s oldest community libraries, will donate all of the proceeds from the screenings to the Los Angeles Fire Department. 

“It’s all connected in a way,” said John Hatch, a library volunteer who was responsible for selecting the films and organizing the screenings. 

From Jan. 31 to Feb 2., the Institute Library of New Haven, held screenings of David Lynch’s films: “Eraserhead,” “Dune,” “The Elephant Man,” “Blue Velvet,” “The Straight Story” and “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.”

Lynch was a prolific director who created works in a breadth of media. Throughout his career, Lynch directed 10 feature films, 46 short films, four television series, five web series, three studio albums, 14 music videos and numerous unfinished projects. 

On Aug. 5, Lynch revealed that he had been suffering with emphysema since 2020 after years of smoking. Emphysema is a lung condition that obstructs breathing. Lynch was left homebound and directed projects remotely.

When the Sunset Fire broke out in Los Angeles on Jan. 8, Lynch was forced to evacuate from his home. Following this evacuation, his health declined. One week later, he passed away. 

“We wanted people to be able to see these movies on a big screen, as Lynch wanted them to be seen,” Eva Geertz, the operations manager of the Institute Library, wrote to the News. 

Geertz had expected other places, such as Best Video or the Yale Film Archive, to do a screening of Lynch’s works. When she realized that they had not, Geertz encouraged the Institute Library to screen the films to commemorate his life and career. 

Also inspired by Lynch’s legacy, Hatch set out to organize the screenings. 

“I always liked surrealism, and Lynch made me more conscious of surrealism in movies,” Hatch said. “When he died, I thought someone should pay tribute to him.”

According to Hatch, seating reached full capacity for the screenings of “Eraserhead” and “Blue Velvet,” while turnout was lower for the rest of the films.

“Eraserhead,” released in 1977, was Lynch’s first feature-length film, known for its unsettling ambiance and grotesque imagery. 

“When I first saw ‘Eraserhead,’ I hated it, but after watching it again at the screening, I think I finally got it,” Hatch said. 

“Blue Velvet,” released in 1986, brought Lynch great critical acclaim, earning him a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Director and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay. Hatch said that it was one of his favorite films directed by Lynch.

Julian Raymond ’28 attended the screening of “Blue Velvet” on Feb. 1. He said it was “magical” to see a movie he loved on the big screen again. 

“I’m grateful for the screening because it was the perfect introduction to David Lynch for my friends who haven’t seen him before,” Raymond said.

The final screening was of “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me” on Feb. 2. Released in 1992, it was a prequel to Lynch’s hit television series “Twin Peaks,” a supernatural investigative drama. 

Prior to the screening, Hatch had never seen “Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.” Hatch remarked that it was far more intense than any other film of Lynch he had seen. 

“I felt like I was tripping for two and a half hours,” said Hatch.

By creating a community space in New Haven for people to appreciate Lynch’s works, the Institute Library helped communities where the director lived.

The Institute Library is located at 847 Chapel St.