Legendary American filmmaker David Lynch has died at the age of 78, it has been confirmed. The beloved director behind some of the most boundary-breaking works of cinema – from Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive to Inland Empire – had previously announced a diagnosis of emphysema that left him unable to leave the house.

The news was confirmed in a Facebook post from Lynch’s family that reads as follows: “It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.’ It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”

David Keith Lynch was born on 20 January, 1946 in Missoula,...