Meet the Finalists

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.