The Romanian composer Sebastian Androne-Nakanishi is the winner of the 7th International Film Music Competition, which took place during the Zurich Film Festival. Androne-Nakanishi takes home the Golden Eye for Best International Film Music 2018.

304 composers from 44 countries took part in this year’s Film Music Competition. The jury, presided over by former Red Hot Chili Peppers’ drummer and US film composer Cliff Martinez, chose five compositions to enter the final. In addition to the winning composition, soundtracks from France, Belgium, Spain and Canada were also nominated.

The five nominated compositions were world premiered live at the Tonhalle Maag by the 100-strong Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich under the baton of Frank Strobel. Participants were asked to score Steve Cutts’ short film HAPPINESS for symphony orchestra.

In addition to Cliff Martinez, this year’s jury also comprised the German conductor Frank Strobel, the Swiss film composer and pianist Christine Aufderhaar and the Swiss director Sabine Gisiger. The Film Music Concert that followed was entitled ‘Thriller’.

The International Film Music Competition is organiszd by the Zurich Film Festival (ZFF) and the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich (TOZ) in collaboration with the Forum Filmmusik.