TLDR: The 25th World Soundtrack Awards are celebrating a quarter-century of recognizing film and television composers, with a strong emphasis on promoting orchestral music. The event also serves as a platform for discussions on the increasing impact of artificial intelligence on the craft, with many composers expressing apprehension about AI’s role in music creation. Despite concerns, there’s an underlying optimism about human creativity’s enduring value.
The World Soundtrack Awards (WSA) is commemorating its 25th anniversary, marking a significant milestone in acknowledging the global contributions of film and television composers. This year’s jubilee edition, held during Film Fest Gent, is not only a celebration of past achievements but also a crucial forum for addressing the evolving landscape of film music, particularly the growing influence of artificial intelligence. The awards ceremony and concert are scheduled for October 15, 2025, at Music Centre De Bijloke in Ghent.
Dirk Brossé, Director of Film Fest Gent Film Music, highlighted the current ‘booming’ state of professional film composers, noting a significant increase in their numbers compared to when the WSA began. He pointed out that ‘Every conservatory now has a film department and, with AI (artificial intelligence), more people have access to tools to create soundtracks.’ This has led to immense competition, as even individuals with limited musical education can now translate their creative ideas into soundtracks using synthesizers, computer programs, and AI.
Despite this ‘onslaught’ of AI, the WSA maintains a clear stance: to ‘provide a platform to people who write for acoustic instruments and orchestration.’ Brossé emphasized that while other forms are not excluded, the primary goal is to ‘encourage young people to continue writing for orchestrates.’ Wim De Witte, Director of Film Fest Gent Program, echoed this sentiment, stating that the WSA will ‘always defend composers who write original music for any instrument they choose.’
However, the topic of AI remains a sensitive one within the industry. Hanne Schelstraete, Coordinator of the WSA Music Project, noted that some composers are ‘tired of talking about AI because it made them a bit depressed.’
The awards will also honor legendary composers Philip Glass and Michael Nyman with Lifetime Achievement Awards, recognizing their extraordinary legacies. Double Academy Award winner A.R. Rahman and Debbie Wiseman will be welcomed as guests of honor. The nominees for ‘Film Composer of the Year’ include Volker Bertelmann, Daniel Blumberg, Kris Bowers, Clément Ducol, Alberto Iglesias, and John Powell. For ‘Television Composer of the Year,’ nominees include Volker Bertelmann, David Fleming & Gustavo Santaolalla, Ariel Marx, Bear McCreary, Martin Phipps, and Theodore Shapiro.
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Brossé concluded with an optimistic outlook, drawing parallels to the initial fears surrounding synthesizers in the 1970s and 1980s. He recalled how John Williams’ orchestral score for Star Wars revitalized the movement, asserting that ‘As long as humanity tries to live as humans, there will always be interest in art created by humans.’
