The World Soundtrack Academy, in collaboration with the Belgian film festival Film Fest Gent, will pay tribute to filmmaker David Lynch by featuring an excerpt from his 1980 film The Elephant Man as part of their annual Film Music Composition Contest. Young composers will be tasked with scoring the excerpt, continuing the festival’s tradition of highlighting emerging talent.
The Elephant Man tells the true story of Joseph Merrick, an English man who, due to his severe physical deformities, became a famous figure in Victorian England. The film starred John Hurt, who portrayed Merrick, and featured Anthony Hopkins as the compassionate surgeon who becomes Merrick’s guardian. Anne Bancroft also starred as a sympathetic stage actress. The film received eight Academy Award nominations, including one for Lynch’s direction, marking his first Oscar nomination.
The film’s original score was composed by John Morris, an American composer known for his collaborations with Mel Brooks, who also produced the film. Morris had previously worked on Broadway musicals and other film scores.
A jury, led by World Soundtrack Academy President Dirk Brossé, will choose three finalists from a group of young composers under the age of 36. The finalists will be announced in June.
The winner will receive the World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer at the World Soundtrack Awards ceremony on October 15. During the event, the Brussels Philharmonic will perform the three selected scores, with Brossé conducting. The awards honor the achievements of film and television composers from around the world.
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