Editor

On behalf of the World Soundtrack Academy, Film Fest Ghent proudly announces the first batch of names for the prestigious World Soundtrack Awards 2021. The first round of nominees, in the categories of Film Composer of the Year, Television Composer of the Year and Best Original Song, includes established composers and emerging talent. Some composers even receive double nominations. Nicholas Britell, Daniel Pemberton and Emile Mosseri are nominated twice, with each of them obtaining a nod in the Best Original Song category. Thanks to this exciting mix of nominees, the World Soundtrack Awards again promises to be a special celebration of film music, honouring the best composers of the past year.

Film Composer of the Year

As announced earlier this spring, documentary scores are now also eligible in all film score categories. Best known for her acclaimed work on documentaries such as For Sama, Nainita Desai is nominated for Film Composer of the Year for her scores for the documentaries American Murder: The Family Next Door, Persona: The Dark Truth behind Personality Tests and The Reason I Jump. James Newton Howard, a former guest of honour at the WSAwards and Film Composer of the Year 2008, is nominated for his scores for News of the World and Raya and the Last Dragon. Oscar nominee Emile Mosseri joins the competition with Kajillionaire, which figured in Film Fest Ghent’s Official Competition last year, and Minari. Daniel Pemberton, Film Composer of the Year at the 2020 IFMCA Awards, is also acknowledged for his body of work this year, including Enola Holmes, Rising Phoenix and The Trial of the Chicago 7. No stranger to the WSA, Pemberton won the WSA Discovery of the Year 2014 and has already been nominated twice before for Film Composer of the Year. Finally, Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste, already Oscar winners for Best Original Score with Soul, are now in the running for the WSA Film Composer of the Year award as well. Last year, the duo Reznor and Ross were nominated in the Television Composer of the Year category.

Television Composer of the Year

This year’s best scores for television series are acknowledged as well. Christophe Beck is nominated for his work on WandaVision and Nicholas Britell figures among the nominees with The Underground Railroad. Britell has been a consistent winner at the World Soundtrack Awards, having previously won Discovery of the Year 2017, Film Composer of the Year 2019 and Television Composer of the Year 2020. Ludwig Göransson’s work for The Mandalorian (Season 2) received a nomination as well. Newcomers such as Natalie Holt for Loki (Season 1) and Carlos Rafael Rivera for Hacks (Season 1) and The Queen’s Gambit complete the list of nominees.

Best Original Song

Among the songs competing for Best Original Song (this year six songs instead of five due to an ex aequo) are “Call me Cruella” (from Disney's Cruella) written by Nicholas Britell, Florence Welch, Steph Jones, Jordan Powers and Taura Stinson, and Oscar-winning “Fight for You” (from Judas and the Black Messiah) written by H.E.R., Dernst Emile II and Tiara Thomas. The Oscar-nominated “Hear My Voice” (from The Trial of the Chicago 7) written by Daniel Pemberton and Celeste Waite and “Húsavík (My Hometown)” (from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga) written by Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson and Fat Max Gsus are also in the running. Finally, “Loyal Brave True” (from Disney's Mulan) written by Jamie Hartman, Harry Gregson-Williams, Rosi Golan and Billy Crabtree and “Rain Song” (from Minari) written by Emile Mosseri have a chance of becoming the WSA Best Original Song 2021.

Overview nominations

Film Composer of the Year:

• Nainita Desai - American Murder: The Family Next Door, Persona: The Dark Truth behind Personality Tests, The Reason I Jump
• James Newton Howard - News of the World, Raya and the Last Dragon

• Emile Mosseri - Kajillionaire, Minari

• Daniel Pemberton - Enola Holmes, Rising Phoenix, The Trial of the Chicago 7

• Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross & Jon Batiste - Soul

Television Composer of the Year:

• Christophe Beck - WandaVision

• Nicholas Britell - The Underground Railroad

• Ludwig Göransson - The Mandalorian (Season 2)

• Natalie Holt - Loki (Season 1)

• Carlos Rafael Rivera - Hacks (Season 1), The Queen’s Gambit

Best Original Song:

• “Call me Cruella”, from Disney's Cruella - written by Nicholas Britell, Florence Welch, Steph Jones, Jordan Powers & Taura Stinson

• “Fight for You”, from Judas and the Black Messiah - written by H.E.R., Dernst Emile II & Tiara Thomas.

• “Hear My Voice”, from The Trial of the Chicago 7 - written by Daniel Pemberton & Celeste Waite

• “Húsavík (My Hometown)”, from Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga - written by Savan Kotecha, Rickard Göransson & Fat Max Gsus

• “Loyal Brave True”, from Disney's Mulan - written by Jamie Hartman, Harry Gregson-Williams, Rosi Golan & Billy Crabtree

• “Rain Song”, from Minari - written by Emile Mosseri

World Soundtrack Awards 2021

The second round of nominees, in the categories Discovery of the Year, Public Choice Award and Sabam Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer, will be announced in the beginning of September.

The 21st World Soundtrack Awards, taking place on 23 October 2021 in the Opera of Ghent, will feature Max Richter as guest of honour. The WSA also welcomes Eleni Karaindrou who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award 2021 during the Award Ceremony which traditionally closes Film Fest Ghent.

World Soundtrack Awards Concert & Award Ceremony - Opera Ghent, 23 October 2021