The director of Donnie Darko, Richard Kelly, is being investigated over terrorism links by the US government and is having his passport reviewed.

The confusion, caused by a certain James Kelly being on the terrorist watch list, may cause the 31-year-old to miss the premiere of his new movie Southland Tales at the Cannes film festival.

Writer/director Kelly has contacted a US senator and recruited his mother to hunt out documents that prove his American citizenship.

He is reported to fear that the issue could be connected to the plot of his new movie, which is in part about security measures by the US government following September 11.