Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly’s directorial debut opens with a poetic image: a teenager wakes up in his pajamas on a deserted road, then hops on his bike and glides down the empty highway to the sound of Echo & the Bunnymen’s most iconic track. It’s October 1988, in the days leading up to Halloween, the boy will encounter time travel, hypnosis, and a six-foot demonic rabbit. He’ll also fall in love with a classmate. Part coming-of-age tale, part surreal reimagining of late-Reagan-era suburbia, Donnie Darko layers its story with the eerie charm of post-punk and new wave. Though it emerged during the wave of metaphysical suburban cinema around the turn of the millennium, its cult status took time to build — growing thanks to internet forums where Gen X and Y audiences made it a generational touchstone. Interestingly, in Poland, the film remained an elusive myth for years, circulating only through unofficial channels. Now, 25 years after its U.S. premiere, it’s finally getting Polish distribution preceded by a screening at the TAURON American Film Festival. Donnie Darko will be shown in its original director’s cut, widely embraced by fans as the “definitive” version.

Warning for people with epilepsy. This video contains scenes of flashing lights.