The Zurich Film Festival and the Tonhalle-Gesellschaft Zürich, in collaboration with Forum Filmmusik, are holding the International Film Music Competition (IFMC) for the 14th time this year. 146 compositions from 36 countries were submitted. The three finalists have now been selected. The competition takes place as part of the Cinema in Concert Gala on October 1.
This year's task for the IFMC was to compose a new symphony orchestra score for the nine-minute short film THE SHYNESS OF TREES by Sofiia Chuikovska, Loïck Du Plessis D'Argentré, Lina Han, Simin He, Jiaxin Huang, Maud Le Bras, and Bingqing Shu. In an anonymous selection process, the jury, which is headed by Oscar winner Gabriel Yared, chose three finalists. They are now rehearsing their compositions together with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich and will give their world premieres at the Cinema in Concert Gala evening under the musical direction of Frank Strobel.
Brendan Galvin
Brendan Galvin is an American film composer currently based in Wellington, New Zealand. Upon completing his Master's at Victoria University of Wellington in 2025, he scored his first independent New Zealand feature film. Before that, he worked for renowned composer David Long at The Swearing Room. Working under Long proved to be a defining chapter and the greatest experience of Brendan's time in New Zealand: At the time, the studio was working on productions such as THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM, SECRETS AT RED ROCKS, and THE CHOIR GAMES. Before shifting his primary focus to composition, Brendan earned a Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, studying under Mario Guarneri, whose approach to music-making and life left a lasting impact on him.
Carl Falkenau Löfvenhamn
Carl Falkenau, three-time International Film Music Competition nominee of Swedish, German, and Persian heritage, discovered his passion for music and started taking piano lessons in his hometown of Falun at age four. After receiving the Hugo Alfvén Scholarship for piano and composition, he went on to graduate from the Royal College of Music in Stockholm in 2006. Since then, he has cultivated a remarkably diverse body of work spanning classical chamber and symphonic music, scores for educational media, cinematic metal releases and broadcast imaging, alongside his ongoing work as a classical piano educator. In 2024, he was awarded two major grants for the completion of Missa Cruciatis, a powerful eight-movement mass for soloists, chorus, and orchestra dedicated to the victims of war.
Semin Son
Semin Son is a composer currently pursuing a degree in Composition at Seoul National University. Originally trained in classical composition, he later turned his focus to film scoring, drawn to the unique ability of music to shape narrative and emotion on screen. He was selected as a finalist in the 2026 Berlin International Film Scoring Competition (BIFSC) and continues to develop his artistic voice as an emerging composer for film and visual media.
Stricter Screening for Copyright Infringement
The winning composition of last year's competition had to be disqualified retroactively, as it did not sufficiently distinguish itself from existing, protected works. The institutions involved took this very seriously and jointly developed measures. Henceforth, submitted compositions will also be screened for copyright irregularities using specialized online services recommended by musicologists and SUISA.
At the Cinema in Concert Gala, held as part of the 14th International Film Music Competition at the Zurich Film Festival, film music meets the big screen. Under the direction of Frank Strobel, the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich will present the works of the finalists as well as those of Oscar winner Gabriel Yared in the form of a live performance. Yared (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, COLD MOUNTAIN, BETTY BLUE) will be honored that evening with the ZFF Career Achievement Award. The evening also offers a unique cross-section of the world of film music, from young talents to internationally celebrated composers:
Swiss composer portrait: Matteo Pagamici and Michael Künstle present an orchestral suite of their film music at the IFMW evening, performed live by the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich, offering an impressive insight into their body of work. They are also committed to supporting young talent in the field of film music.
14th International Film Music Competition: Live performance of the short film THE SHYNESS OF TREES with the compositions of the finalists
Award Ceremony: The jury will present the Golden Eye, endowed with CHF 10,000, for Best International Film Music 2026
Presentation of the Career Achievement Award to Gabriel Yared, accompanied by a live performance of his works
Tickets for the Cinema in Concert Gala are available here.
Gabriel Yared
Born in Beirut in 1949, this composer is one of the most defining voices in international film music. He won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, and a BAFTA for his score to THE ENGLISH PATIENT. Among others, Yared studied composition in Paris under Henri Dutilleux and Maurice Ohana and made a name for himself as an arranger and musical director starting in 1973. His international breakthrough as a film composer came in the 1980s with the films of Jean-Jacques Beineix, including BETTY BLUE. He has worked with directors such as Anthony Minghella, Jean-Jacques Annaud, Robert Altman, and Xavier Dolan, and has also composed music for ballet productions at the Paris Opera and the Royal Opera Ballet London. In 2020, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award of the World Soundtrack Awards at the Film Fest Gent.
Frank Strobel
The German conductor and film music specialist is regarded as a pioneer in film music live performances and in bridging film and orchestral sound. He regularly works with leading orchestras across Europe and brings film music to the stage with precision and emotion. Strobel will conduct the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich for the IFMC evening, ensuring that the evening's musical performance is of the highest caliber.
Martina Gedeck
Born in Munich and based in Berlin, actress Martina Gedeck ranks among the internationally celebrated performers of our time. She has appeared in more than 140 film and television productions and has received over 50 national and international awards, including for her roles in ROSSINI, BELLA MARTHA, THE WALL (DIE WAND), and THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX. Alongside her work in film and theater, she has devoted herself to performing in concert with renowned orchestras, ensembles, and soloists for years, blending poetry with music on stages such as the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg and the Berlin Philharmonie. She is a member of the European Film Academy and the German Film Academy. Since 2024, she is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Matteo Pagamici and Michael Künstle
Matteo Pagamici and Michael Künstle are a dazzlingly skilled composer team, working internationally across film and television. They are known for their genre-bending music and joy in collaborative work. Most recently, the duo has scored the short film PIGEONS directed by Amos Sussigan and narrated by BAFTA-winning actor Andy Serkis. Their credits include the feature film SISI & I, starring Academy Award nominee Sandra Hüller; NEW HEIGHTS by Sabine Boss and Pierre Monnard, the first Swiss television series acquired by Netflix for international distribution; and the France Télévisions crime series HORS SAISON. They also composed the music for major international productions such as Etsy's 2024 Super Bowl campaign film and Samsung's global campaign for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Other highlights include the release of their debut album Dimensions, recorded at Abbey Road Studios and released in 2025.
Michael has won the Golden Eye award in the first edition of the International Film Music Competition. He has written over 150 arrangements across jazz, pop, and classical music, including work for Echo Prize winner Jasmin Tabatabai. He occasionally conducts crossover concerts that bring together orchestras and pop artists. Previous collaborations include sharing the stage with Pekka Kuusisto and Hauschka. Matteo Pagamici has worked closely with renowned cellist Martin Tillman (Hans Zimmer’s THE DARK KNIGHT, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) on sessions for major international projects, including GLADIATOR 2 and the Apple TV+ series SILO, as well as a wide range of production music. Matteo was a finalist in the third edition of the International Film Music Competition.
Image: Livia Eichenberger
