French singer Mylène Farmer pays haunting tribute to David Lynch at Cannes: “This is what the Academy should have done”

French singer-songwriter Mylène Farmer paid tribute to David Lynch at the opening of Cannes, with fans saying the film festival’s tribute is something the Oscars should have done.

• READ MORE: David Lynch – 1946-2025: a true visionary who reinvented cinema

Lynch, the visionary known for the TV show Twin Peaks and films such as Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead, passed away at his daughter’s home in Los Angeles in January, after being evacuated during the city’s wild fires. He was 78.

Farmer had been friends for years, with both artists admiring the other’s work. This resulted in a collaboration in 2024, when David Lynch remixed Farmer’s haunting masterpiece, ‘Je te rends ton amour’, for the album ‘Remix-XL’.

On Tuesday (March 13), the opening of the 78th Cannes Film Festival opened with a tribute that included clips from his film Wild At Heart, which won the event’s highest honour, the Palme D’Or, in 1990. Following this, Farmer gave a haunting rendition of the song ‘Confession’, her new song dedicated to the late filmmaker.

The moment was adored by fans online. On X (formerly Twitter), one person posted: “Why the Cannes Film Festival is the most prestigious of them all. Look at this David Lynch tribute”.

Why the Cannes Film Festival is the most prestigious of them all. Look at this David Lynch tribute. https://t.co/ur7RxM1KO1

— Armando Valle (@ThePRGMR) May 14, 2025

For others, it was a reminder of the way the director was remembered during March’s Academy Awards. Lynch was included in the In Memoriam segment, which featured brief clips of every Hollywood figure who has died in the past year deemed notable by the Oscars. For Lynch, whose death was widely mourned across Hollywood and beyond, his lack of a tribute beyond the clip was criticised by viewers.

“Cannes Film Festival gives David Lynch his due. The Oscars must’ve been too busy” wrote one, with another adding: “can’t believe that Cannes made a better tribute for Lynch than the Oscars”.

Cannes Film Festival gives David Lynch his due.

The Oscars must’ve been too busy. https://t.co/sO07yMVtTv

— mikayel musayelyan (@stangermet) May 13, 2025

can’t believe that Cannes made a better tribute for Lynch than the Oscars pic.twitter.com/J2GxU49SIV

— mia (@arrivalleneuve) May 13, 2025

On Reddit, one fan wrote: “This is what the Academy should have done, a proper tribute”.

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In March, friend and collaborator Naomi Watts revealed Lynch was planning a return to work prior to his death, and shared details of their last meeting.

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