‘Conclave’ Composer Volker Bertelmann, ‘The Brutalist’s’ Daniel Blumberg Win at the 25th World Soundtrack Awards

At the World Soundtrack Awards, an event organized by the Ghent Film Festival, German composer Volker Bertelmann was honored as Film Composer of the Year. He received the accolade for his scores for Edward Berger’s "Conclave" and James Hawes’s "The Amateur." This marks the second time Bertelmann has claimed this title, having previously won two years ago for his Oscar-winning work on "All Quiet on the Western Front," as well as for his contributions to "War Sailor" and "Memory of Water." In a video message, as he was unable to attend in person, Bertelmann thanked the directors for granting him the creative freedom to explore new musical ideas. He emphasized that "Ultimately you have to find your voice," pointing to the deeply collaborative spirit of film composition and the importance of directors who support artistic experimentation.

The ceremony, which featured a performance by the Brussels Philharmonic under the baton of Dirk Brossé, also recognized several other artists. British composer Daniel Blumberg, who recently won an Oscar for Best Original Score for Brady Corbet’s "The Brutalist," was named Discovery of the Year. Theodore Shapiro received Television Composer of the Year for his innovative work on the series "Severance," praising producer Ben Stiller’s visionary approach. The songwriting team behind "El Mal" from "Emilia Pérez"—Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard—took home the Best Original Song award, mirroring their recent Oscar success. This year’s event was particularly meaningful as it celebrated the 25th anniversary of the World Soundtrack Awards. The awards were originally launched by Belgium’s Film Fest Ghent in the 1980s as a distinctive platform to highlight film music, a move that eventually led to the establishment of the World Soundtrack Academy in 2001.

In honor of the quarter-century milestone, the academy presented Lifetime Achievement Awards to two titans of film composition: Philip Glass, renowned for his score for "The Hours," and Michael Nyman, celebrated for "The Piano." Their influential legacies were further highlighted in a special concert titled "Minimalism in Motion: Glass, Nyman and Beyond," which also featured works by contemporary composers Emilie Levienaise-Farrouch and Martin Phipps. As one industry analyst observed, "Honoring both Glass and Nyman together reflects the Academy’s dedication to acknowledging diverse but foundational styles that have shaped the sound of modern cinema."

Two distinguished guests of honor were also celebrated: Debbie Wiseman and A. R. Rahman. Wiseman, one of Britain's most prolific film and television composers, is known for scores such as "Tom & Viv" and has significantly shaped the sound of British cinema. A. R. Rahman, a two-time Oscar winner, is arguably India's most prominent composer; his groundbreaking score for Danny Boyle’s "Slumdog Millionaire" brought him international fame and helped introduce Bollywood music to a worldwide audience. Another notable figure in attendance was Jerskin Fendrix, who made history at the 2024 awards by becoming the first composer to win both Film Composer of the Year and Discovery of the Year for his work on Yorgos Lanthimos’s "Poor Things." From the stage, Fendrix reflected on his ongoing collaboration with Lanthimos, noting that composing for film taught him "artistic empathy," a quality he described as fundamentally different from the more solitary process of songwriting.

To commemorate its 25-year history, the World Soundtrack Academy released a special triple album. This collection includes "Debbie Wiseman: Music for Film and Television," featuring new studio recordings; an expanded reissue of Craig Armstrong’s "Music For Film," which was the festival’s inaugural album release in 2007; and a limited-edition vinyl set titled "World Soundtrack Awards – 25th Anniversary Celebration," compiling memorable live and studio performances from over two decades of the festival. The full list of winners is as follows: Film Composer of the Year: Volker Bertelmann; Television Composer of the Year: Theodore Shapiro; Best Original Song: "El Mal" from "Emilia Pérez"; Discovery of the Year: Daniel Blumberg; Public Choice Award: Laetitia Pansanel-Garric; Game Music Award: Lorien Testard; Belgian Film Composer of the Year: Ruben De Gheselle; Award for the Best Original Composition by a Young Composer: Bongseop Kim; Lifetime Achievement Award: Philip Glass and Michael Nyman.