Jennifer Lynch facts for kids

Jennifer Chambers Lynch (born April 7, 1968) is an American filmmaker. She is the daughter of famous filmmaker David Lynch. Jennifer started her directing career with the movie Boxing Helena in 1993. This film faced many difficulties during its making and didn't do well with critics or audiences. Jennifer even received an award for "Worst Director" for it. Because of the tough start and negative reactions, she took a long break from making movies for about 15 years.

Jennifer returned to directing with the film Surveillance in 2008. This movie got mixed reviews but won a top award at the Sitges Film Festival. A year later, she started working on Hisss, but she later said the final movie wasn't her work because it was finished without her input. Her fourth film, Chained, came out in 2012 and was well-received by critics. Since 2012, Jennifer Lynch has mostly directed episodes for many popular TV shows. These include Psych, Teen Wolf, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Besides directing, Jennifer also wrote a book called The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer in 1990. This book was told from the viewpoint of a character from her father's TV show Twin Peaks. The book was very popular and became a best-seller.

Early Life and Education

Jennifer Lynch was born in Philadelphia. Her father is the well-known artist and filmmaker David Lynch. Her mother, Peggy Reavey, is a painter. Jennifer started practicing Transcendental Meditation when she was six years old. She went to the Interlochen Art Academy. There, she studied visual arts and creative writing.

Filmmaking Career

Jennifer Lynch studied in Los Angeles and Michigan at Interlochen Arts Academy. She even appeared briefly in her father's first movie, Eraserhead, but her scene was not in the final version. Later, she worked as a production assistant on Blue Velvet (1986), which her father also directed.

Directing Boxing Helena (1993)

Jennifer Lynch wrote the script for Boxing Helena, which she later directed. Many famous actresses, like Madonna, were interested in the script. Sherilyn Fenn, who starred in her father's TV show Twin Peaks, was chosen for the main role of Helena. Another actress, Kim Basinger, was also involved but later left the project.

Directing Surveillance (2008)

After a long break, Jennifer Lynch directed Surveillance. This film won the top award at the Festival de Cine de Sitges. A month later, Jennifer became the first woman to win the Best Director award at the New York City Horror Film Festival.

Directing Hisss (2009)

Jennifer Lynch was announced as the director for a film called Nagin, also known as Hisss. This movie featured Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat. However, the movie that was released was not what Lynch had directed. Even though her name was attached to the final film, she later said it was not her work.

Directing Chained (2012)

Jennifer Lynch's film Chained received mostly good reviews from critics. On the website Rotten Tomatoes, it earned a 68% positive rating.

Future Film Projects

In 2011, Jennifer Lynch was supposed to film a movie called Visibility. However, as of 2021, this project has not been completed.

Around 2012, Lynch was also getting ready to make a film called A Fall from Grace. This movie was planned to be filmed in St. Louis and was inspired by the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.

Television Directing

Jennifer Lynch has directed episodes for many popular television series. Some of these include Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, The Watcher, Jessica Jones, Psych, Teen Wolf, The Walking Dead, American Horror Story, Once Upon a Time, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D..

Other Creative Works

Jennifer Lynch wrote the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer. This book was a companion to the TV show Twin Peaks, which was created by her father David Lynch and Mark Frost.

In 1993, Lynch directed a music video for the song "Living in the Rose" by the British rock band New Model Army.

In 2010, Jennifer Lynch was a judge at the International Surrealist Film Festival. She also worked as a producer for a horror film called The Compound.

A documentary from Australia called Despite the Gods was released in 2012. This film showed Jennifer Lynch's challenges while making the movie Hisss. The documentary was described as showing how Lynch faced difficulties filming in India with a local crew and Bollywood stars. It highlighted how she focused on her own growth during the production, even if it meant ignoring timelines or budgets. She eventually distanced herself from the final Hisss film.

Since 2015, she has also been a member of the advisory board for the Hollywood Horror Museum.

Awards and Recognition

While Boxing Helena received very harsh reviews and a "Worst Director" award, it was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize in the Dramatic category at the Sundance Film Festival.

Personal Life

In a 2009 interview, Jennifer Lynch shared that she had three spinal surgeries after her film Boxing Helena was released. These surgeries were due to a car accident she had when she was 19 years old. In the same interview, she mentioned that she has a daughter.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Lynch para niños