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About the Nominees
Film Fest Gent and the World Soundtrack Academy proudly reveal the nominations for the World Soundtrack Awards 2022. Among the nominees are three composers who scored nominations in two different categories: Nicholas Britell, Daniel Hart and last year’s Film Composer of the Year Daniel Pemberton. In a sign of the increasing importance and popularity of television, the song “Strange Game” from the HBO series Slow Horses is the first ever song from a television series nominated for Best Original Song, since they were first made eligible in 2021. And after last year’s hiatus, the Award for Best Original Score for a Belgian Production celebrates its comeback. The Academy has already announced one winner as well: this year's WSA Industry Award goes to the Alliance for Women Film Composers.
The Composition Contest
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Every year, the World Soundtrack Academy offers young, international screen composers the chance to participate in the WSA Film Music Composition Contest. The participants are invited to write a score for an excerpt from a film chosen by Film Fest Gent. A professional jury consisting of Dirk Brossé (Jury President - Music Director Film Fest Gent, conductor), Teodora Ana Mihai (director), Frédéric Vercheval (composer) and Patrick Duynslaegher (Classics Curator Film Fest Gent, journalist) selected three finalists: Giacomo Rita, John Konsolakis and Robert Wallace. At the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert, they will find out who wins the Sabam Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer, worth €2.500. This year, young screen composers under the age of 36 were invited to write a score for a scene from Nosferatu, Murnau's timeless classic which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. For a century now, vampire Count Orlok sows fear among everyone who beholds this German Expressionist adaptation of the wellknown story of Count Dracula, while he chases and startles people, projecting that iconic shadow of his long fingers and bald head onto the walls. The chosen excerpt shows Orlok on a ship haunting yet another victim by arising from his coffin. The clip offers opportunities for sound effects and the musical expression of fear and horror.
Nominees
Giacomo Rita
Born in Macerata, Italy, Giacomo Rita got more acquainted with music at the age of fifteen, when he started playing the electric guitar, studying music, and composing his first pieces. He developed an interest in film and film music, and obtained a Master’s Degree in Cinema, Television and Multimedia Production at the University of Bologna. In 2017, he won the soundtrack category of Premio Carlo Gargioni. In 2020, he attended the Master of Fine Arts in Music for Motion Pictures and Contemporary Media at the Film Scoring Academy of Europe (Irish American University). Currently Giacomo is working on his first videogame soundtrack.
John Konsolakis
John Konsolakis’ involvement in music started from a young age as a clarinettist, and quickly expanded to include music composition and production. In the two years prior to moving to Edinburgh to study Composition and Performance, John was selected as the Winner of the International Animated Film Music Competition. He was selected by the University of Edinburgh as the Runner-Up of the Tovey Memorial Prize in 2018 and 2021 (for performance and composition respectively). Having performed with orchestras as both a principal clarinettist and guest soloist since 2012, John has honed his musical skills and possesses a great love and knowledge of orchestral writing and playing that he utilises in his compositions.
Robert Wallace
Robert Wallace was born in Washington DC and was raised a classical pianist from age five. Robert’s career has included multiple national and international awards for piano performance and composition, including performing twice at Carnegie Hall and at Vienna’s Ehrbar Hall. After completing high school in South Africa, he graduated from Berklee College of Music in May of 2020, magna cum laude, with focus on Film Scoring, Conducting, and Jazz Composition. Now living in Los Angeles, he works under the multi award-winning Michael Abels. Robert has over two and a half hours of music found in projects like Allen V. Farrow, Nightbooks, and Beauty and Breaking.
Best Original Song
“Blome Swete Lilie Flour” from The Green Knight written by Daniel Hart – performed by Daniel Hart
“Hold My Hand” from Top Gun: Maverick written by Bloodpop and Stefani Germanotta – performed by Lady Gaga
“Just Look Up” from Don’t Look Up written by Nicholas Britell, Ariana Grande, Scott “Kid Cudi” Mescudi and Taura Stinson – performed by Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi
“No Time To Die” from No Time to Die written by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell – performed by Billie Eilish
“Strange Game” from Slow Horses written by Daniel Pemberton and Mick Jagger – performed by Mick Jagger
“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Encanto written by Lin-Manuel Miranda – performed by Adassa, Carolina Gaitán – La Gaita, Diane Guerrero, Encanto cast, Mauro Castillo, Rhenzy Feliz, Stephanie Beatriz
Discovery of the Year
Karl Frid - Pleasure A talented and extremely versatile musician, Karl (often along with his brother Pär) has been composing and performing music for film and television since 2011. To help reinforce the themes and narrative in Pleasure, Frid turned to an unexpected dynamic duo — sacred opera and hip-hop.
Eiko Ishibashi - Drive My Car Eiko Ishibashi is a multi-instrumentalist whose work ranges from acclaimed singer-songwriter albums to scores for film and television to improvised music settings. She also composed the music for the 2019 anime Blade of the Immortal.
Son Lux - Everything Everywhere All at Once Son Lux is a geographically and culturally diverse band, with Rafiq Bhatia, Ian Chang, and Ryan Lott each bringing their unique sonic approach to create an otherworldly whole. The full score album for Everything Everywhere features collaborations with Mitski, David Byrne, Randy Newman and Moses Sumney, among others.
Maurizio Malagnini - Coppelia The Italian-born Malagnini's first musical love was Italian opera, especially the lyrical melodies of Rossini and Puccini. Over the past five years, the international award-winning composer has distinguished himself by bringing elegant melodies and cinematic vision to numerous productions.
Isobel Waller-Bridge - Munich: The Edge of War Isobel Waller-Bridge is a British composer for film, television, and theatre, and is also known for her electronic music and contemporary classical music. She has scored projects such as Fleabag, created by her sister Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Autumn de Wilde’s Emma.
Best Original Score for a Belgian Production
Inexorable - Vincent Cahay After his studies in dramatic art at the Conservatoire de Liège, Vincent Cahay acted in various theatrical productions. In the 2000s, in parallel with his acting activities, he began to compose music for the stage and the cinema.
Nowhere - Demusmaker Demusmaker (real name Blaise Delafosse) composes and produces music for cinema and television. His brother Jérome Delafosse, director and adventurer, entrusted him with the music of numerous ambitious and innovative documentaries.
SpaceBoy - The Penelopes The Penelopes are an indie pop band from Paris, consisting of Axel Basquiat and Vincent T. The Penelopes often appear at the Cannes Film Festival and have provided music for fashion brands such as Prada and agnès b.
Public Choice Award
14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible - Nainita Desai Born and raised in London to Indian parents, Desai already mastered 5 instruments in childhood. Winner of the World Soundtrack Discovery of the Year Award 2021, Nainita Desai has rapidly become one of the most in-demand composers for drama and documentary alike.
Charlotte - Michelino Bisceglia Award-winning composer, conductor, and pianist Michelino Bisceglia was born in Genk, Belgium to a family of Italian origin. In 2014, Michelino Bisceglia won the WSA Public Choice Award for the score of Marina.
Gunpowder Milkshake - Frank Ilfman Frank Ilfman worked on his first TV production when he was just 17 years old and since then has scored more than 40 films and numerous TV shows. He is part of the European Film Academy and The British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
The Ice Age Adventures of Buck Wild - Batu Sener Composer Batu Sener is working on some of the most exciting animation, action and sci-fi projects in Hollywood. He's been working alongside Oscar-nominated composer John Powell at 5 Cat Studios since he moved to Los Angeles.
The King’s Daughter - Joseph Metcalfe, John Coda, Grant Kirkhope Joseph Metcalfe, having taught himself the piano from the age of 4, began composing in his early childhood. While in his teens he wrote several award-winning musicals.
John Coda is an award winning composer, songwriter and music artist. He composed the theme songs and music for hit Even Stevens and That’s So Raven.
Grant Kirkhope took up the trumpet at age 6. He scored the game Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle, and is the only western composer to work directly with Nintendo on a Mario game.
Television Composer of the Year
Nicholas Britell – Succession (Season 3) Academy Award-nominated composer and pianist Nicholas Britell is known for his work with writer-directors Barry Jenkins and Adam McKay. Britell received multiple awards at the WSA: Discovery of the Year 2017, Film Composer of the Year 2019, TV Composer of the Year 2020 and Best Original Song in 2021.
Natalie Holt & John Williams – Obi-Wan Kenobi Natalie Holt is a multi-award-winning British composer, known for her work on Marvel Studios' Loki and the acclaimed Lucasfilm series ObiWan Kenobi.
As one of the best known, awarded, and financially successful composers in US history, John Williams proves himself to be "America's composer" time and again.
Jung Jae-il – Squid Game Jung Jae-il is well-known for his achievements in the crossover between traditional Korean music and other music genres. He is the composer and music director of the Oscar-winning Parasite, directed by Bong Joon-ho.
Hesham Nazih – Moon Knight Hesham Nazih is an Egyptian composer known for his distinguished style that interweaves authentic melodies with contemporary music. At Cairo International Film Festival he received the honorary Faten Hamama Excellence Award.
Theodore Shapiro – Severance Theodore Shapiro is an American film composer from Washington D.C., known for composing various films such as Jennifer's Body, Old School, Safe Men, Idiocracy, 13 Going on 30, Girlfight and The Devil Wears Prada.
Cristobal Tapia de Veer – The White Lotus Multiple award winning Cristobal Tapia de Veer is a Chilean born, classically trained musician, producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and award-winning composer for film & TV based in Montreal, Canada.
Film Composer of the Year
Germaine Franco – Encanto Germaine Franco is the first woman to score a Disney animated feature film. Franco serves on the Advisory Board for Women In Media. In 2018, Univision celebrated her work as one of "15 Latinas Who Are Changing The World As We Know It".
Jonny Greenwood – The Power of the Dog, Spencer Jonny Greenwood is an English musician and composer. He is the lead guitarist and keyboardist of the alternative rock band Radiohead, and has written numerous film scores, such as Phantom Thread (2017) and There Will Be Blood (2007).
Daniel Hart – The Green Knight, The Last Letter from Your Lover Daniel Hart is a composer and performer based in Los Angeles. In 2009, he worked with David Lowery on his debut St. Nick. Since then, Hart has composed the music for all of Lowery's films, such as Ain't Them Bodies Saints and The Green Knight.
Alberto Iglesias – Parallel Mothers Alberto Iglesias Fernández-Berridi is a Spanish composer. He often works with Pedro Almodóvar and has been nominated for an Academy Award for his scores for The Constant Gardener, The Kite Runner, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and Madres paralelas.
Daniel Pemberton – The Rescue, Being the Ricardos, The Bad Guys, Brian and Charles Daniel Pemberton has been nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe, and has won an Emmy for Rising Phoenix. He has worked with directors such as Guy Ritchie, Danny Boyle and Ridley Scott. Pemberton won the WSA Discovery of the Year 2014 and the WSA Film Composer of the Year 2021.
Hans Zimmer – Dune, No Time to Die, The Survivor German-born composer Hans Zimmer is recognized as one of Hollywood's most innovative musical talents. He has won Academy Awards for his scores for The Lion King and Dune, and a World Soundtrack Award for Inception.
