Harder Than the Rock
Odeon Cinema 2 · 06.04.2025 17:30
Harder Than the Rock
Odeon Cinema 2 · 06.04.2025 17:30
Harder Than the Rock
Odeon Cinema 2 · 06.04.2025 17:30
Harder Than the Rock
Odeon Cinema 2 · 06.04.2025 17:30
Metadata can break your chances of getting discovered and placed in audiovisual projects. In this workshop, Hanna-Greth Peetson, sync agent and music supervisor at Tier Music, shares practical do’s and don’ts for setting up metadata effectivly.
Metadata can break your chances of getting discovered and placed in audiovisual projects. In this workshop, Hanna-Greth Peetson, sync agent and music (...)
Metadata can make or break your chances of getting discovered and placed in audiovisual projects. In this one-hour workshop, Hanna-Greth Peetson, sync agent and music supervisor at Tier Music (Estonia), shares practical do’s and don’ts for setting up and using metadata effectively.
Participants can submit their metadata in advance for live analysis and feedback during the session. The workshop includes a short seminar, hands-on review, and a Q&A. Designed for artists, artist representatives, and sync agents, it offers clear, actionable tips to improve visibility and opportunities.
Please fill out the form if you'd like your metadata analysed during the workshop. You're also welcome to attend the panel without registering if you'd prefer not to share your metadata.
SEND YOUR METADATA!
The complete SoundTrack_Cologne programme has just gone live! Dive in to discover this year's full lineup of talks, workshops, and networking activities. It will be an inspiring week!
The complete SoundTrack_Cologne programme has just gone live! Dive in to discover this year's full lineup of talks, workshops, and networking activiti (...)
The complete SoundTrack_Cologne programme is live! Dive into to discover this year's full lineup of talks, workshops, and networking activities. It will be an inspiring week!
CHECK THE FULL PROGRAMME!
SoundTrack_Cologne is honored to announce the featured panelists for this year's Composing for TV Series panels, taking place on Friday, July 17, 2026.
SoundTrack_Cologne is honored to announce the featured panelists for this year's Composing for TV Series panels, taking place on Friday, July 17, 2026 (...)
SoundTrack_Cologne is honored to announce the featured panelists for this year's Composing for TV Series panels, taking place on Friday, July 17, 2026.
Television series rely heavily on music to build atmosphere, shape emotional arcs, and bring stories to life. This year's sessions bring together composers working at the forefront of TV scoring, from a genre-defining period drama to bold new sounds in comedy and event television, offering insights into their creative processes and recent work.
Featured guests include John Lunn, the Emmy and BAFTA-nominated composer behind Downton Abbey, The Last Kingdom - 7 Kings Must Die, The Grantchester Mysteries, among many others; Natalie Hausmann, whose scores blend jazz roots with modern synth textures for series like Mermaids to Lovers and Perfekt Verpasst; and Aisling Brouwer (The Buccaneers), whose latest score for Disney and National Geographic's Pompeii: Out of Time will receive its world premiere live performance at SoundTrack_Cologne award ceremony.
Friday 17. July 2026 · COMEDIA Theater, Studio
10:30 - 11:30
John Lunn
(Downton Abbey · The Last Kingdom - 7 Kings Must Die)
Workshop Discussion
Mod.: Hansjörg Kohli
John Lunn is best known for scoring the flagship ITV/Carnival Films drama Downton Abbey, for which he received two Primetime Emmy Awards (2012, 2013) and two BAFTA nominations. He also scored the Downton Abbey film trilogy. His other credits include The Grantchester Mysteries, Jamestown, Shetland, The White Queen (Emmy-nominated), The White Princess, and To Walk Invisible.
12:00 -13:00
Natalie Hausmann
(Amazon Prime Perfekt Verpasst · RTL+ Mermaids to Lovers)
Mod.: Nik Reich
Cologne-based composer and award-winning jazz musician Natalie Hausmann has scored series including the Amazon Prime Original Perfekt Verpasst, the comedie series Start the fck up, and the Young Adult comedy Mermaids to Lovers (Warner/RTL+), which premiered at Seriencamp Cologne in June 2026. Her sound blends strong melodic themes with textured minimalism, acoustic strings, felt piano, and modern synth soundscapes. She is a SoundTrack_Cologne WFCC Alumni.
16:00 - 17:00
Aisling Brouwer
(Disney+/National Geographic's Pompeii: Out of Time · Apple TV+'s The Buccaneers)
Mod.: Nik Reich
The credis of the Dutch-Irish composer Aisling Brouwer span film, television, and documentary for Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, BBC, National Geographic, and Amazon Prime. She scored Rubika Shah's Grierson Award-winning documentary White Riot and recently completed Shah's follow-up feature The Mad Dog of Europe. Her latest score is for the upcoming Disney and National Geographic series Pompeii: Out of Time, which reunites Loki executive producer Kevin R. Wright with Tom Hiddleston.
Drawing on different perspectives from across the production chain, German film composer Freya Arde, French composer Clémentine Charuel, music supervisor Milena Fessmann and post-production supervisor Anne Urban will share insights into their work.
Drawing on different perspectives from across the production chain, German film composer Freya Arde, French composer Clémentine Charuel, music supervi (...)
How is film and TV music created under different production conditions across Europe? And what influence do national production cultures, budgets and international collaborations have on the creative process, and ultimately on the sound of a film or a TV series?
This panel explores the different ways media scoring is approached, organised and prioritised across Europe. While some productions are strongly shaped by schedules, budgets, and efficient workflows, in other contexts greater emphasis may be placed on the artistic development of the score. The discussion focuses on how artistic freedom can be reconciled with the demands of efficient production structures and collaborative decision-making processes.
Drawing on different perspectives from across the production chain, German film composer Freya Arde, French composer Clémentine Charuel, music supervisor Milena Fessmann and post-production supervisor Anne Urban will share insights into their work, creative processes and production realities.
The panel will be moderated by Katja Lucker, Managing Director of Initiative Musik.
Friday 17. July 2026 · COMEDIA Theater, Studio
14.30-15.30
Freya Arde (composer), Clémentine Charuel (composer, Collectif Troisième Autrice), Milena Fessmann
(music supervisor, film producer), Anne Urban (postproduction supervisor)
Mod.: Katja Lucker, Initiative Musik
In cooperation with Initiative Musik
SEE THE SOUND widmet sich auch 2026 dem Zusammenspiel von Musik und Film und präsentiert eine exklusive Auswahl an internationalen Filmen über Musik, die überwiegend nicht im regulären Kölner Kinoprogramm zu sehen sein werden.
SEE THE SOUND widmet sich auch 2026 dem Zusammenspiel von Musik und Film und präsentiert eine exklusive Auswahl an internationalen Filmen über Musik, (...)
SEE THE SOUND widmet sich auch 2026 dem Zusammenspiel von Musik und Film und präsentiert eine exklusive Auswahl an internationalen Filmen über Musik, die überwiegend nicht im regulären Kölner Kinoprogramm zu sehen sein werden.
Das Programm 2026 umfasst 23 Dokumentarfilme, 5 Spielfilme und 14 Kurzfilme. Ergänzt wird das Filmprogramm durch ein vielfältiges Rahmenprogramm mit Konzerten und Live-Performances. Dazu gehören das Stummfilmkonzert Hanseaten, einen Live-Auftritt des Game-Musik-Komponisten Zanshin, ein Konzert mit dem Saxophonisten Christof Lauer im Anschluss an die Vorführung eines Films über sein Leben und Werk, sowie das Filmmusikkonzert von SoundTrack_Cologne mit Werken des renommierten Komponisten Christopher Young und weiteren Gästen. Als besonderes Highlight wird der Emmy-prämierte Komponist John Lunn seine Downton Abbey Suite persönlich am Klavier spielen.
Die Filme zeichnen Porträts bedeutender Musikerinnen und Musiker und eröffnen Einblicke in deren künstlerisches Schaffen, ihre Lebensgeschichten und ihren Einfluss auf die Musikgeschichte. Zu den porträtierten Künstlerinnen und Künstlern zählen unter anderem David Bowie, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Marianne Faithful, Stewart Copeland, Iron Maiden, Ice-T, Boy George, Kate Bush, Diane Warren, Sun Ra, Pauline Black und vielen andere Künstler:Innen, die verschiedene Musikgenres und -kulturen von Jazz bis J-Pop umspannen.
> See The Sound Website
> 15.07.2026 > 16.07.2026 > 17.07.2026 > 18.07.2026 > 19.07.2026
> Programm Folder
Presseanfragen und -material: presse@soundtrackcologne.de
COMPETITION · Odeon Kino 2 & 3
Acht Dokumentarfilme konkurrieren um den mit 2.500 Euro dotierten Musikdokumentarfilmpreis von SoundTrack_Cologne.
Zu den nominierten Filmen zählen ein Porträt Marianne Faithfull, das auf mehr als sechs Jahrzehnten und 35 Alben zurückblickt, sowie die Geschichte der Schwarzen 2-Tone-Künstlerin Pauline Black, die sich mit Rassismus, Identität und dem widersprüchlichen Phänomen unerwünschter Fans aus Skinhead- und Neonazi-Subkulturen auseinandersetzt inklusive Q&A mit Pauline Black.
Weitere Beiträge porträtieren den Komponisten Manos Tsangaris und zeigen, wie Komponieren zum gesellschaftlichen und künstlerischen Aktivismus werden kann. Ein weiterer Film widmet sich dem Erbe der prägenden deutschsprachigen Rockband Ihre Kinder.
Ergänzt wird der Wettbewerb durch ein Biopic über Cerrone, der mit mehr als dreißig Millionen verkauften Alben Disco-Musik revolutionierte. Ein Ensemble für zeitgenössische Musik und die Magie des Proberaums, in dem Klang noch lebendig, fragil und im Werden ist. Eine Annäherung an die kosmische Philosophie von Sun Ra in der „Magic City“ Birmingham, dem Ort seiner Erdenankunft am 22. Mai 1914. Ein einzigartiger und berührender Austausch zwischen dem Komponisten Rone und einem Buckelwal: Singt der Wal zurück? Die Wettbewerbsbeiträge widmen sich außergewöhnlichen Künstlerpersönlichkeiten, musikalischen Innovationen und gesellschaftlich relevanten Themen.
JETZT TICKETS SICHERN!
On July 15, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne 23 will feature three case studies with composers and creative teams behind acclaimed film projects.
On July 15, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne 23 will feature three case studies with composers and creative teams behind acclaimed film projects. (...)
On July 15, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne 23 will feature three case studies with composers and creative teams behind acclaimed film projects.
The programme opens with a case study on the children's film TAFITI, featuring composer Carsten Rocker (Die Rosenheim-Cops · In aller Freundschaft · Küstenwache).
The case study Death Will Come, premiered at Locarno, brings together composer Nigji Sanges and producer Bettina Brokemper (Heimatfilm), who will discuss the creative process behind the thriller, directed by Christoph Hochhäusler.
Composer Antonio de Luca and director Caroline Kox, aka Koxi, will also present their most recent feature film, Liebhaberinnen, which premiered at the Berlinale 2026. In a talk, they will explore the creative collaboration between composer and director and discuss how music and direction came together to shape the film. The project is set to release in cinemas in the second half of 2026.
_____________
10.30–11.30
Case Study: TAFITI
with Carsten Rocker (composer)
Mod.: Hanna Sophie Lüke
12.00–13.00
Case Study: Death Will Come
with Nigji Sanges (composer) and Bettina Brokemper (producer, Heimatfilm)
Mod.: Stephan Brüggenthies
14.30–15.30
Case Study: Liebhaberinnen
with Antonio de Luca (composer) and Koxi (director)
Mod.: Nik Reich
At SoundTrack_Cologne 23, the Track Check format brings together experienced music supervisors, consultants, and publishers to share their insights and offer direct feedback to participants. Submit your tracks before Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 18:00.
At SoundTrack_Cologne 23, the Track Check format brings together experienced music supervisors, consultants, and publishers to share their insights an (...)
Track Check: TV Underscore · Promo/Trailer/Advertising
How well does your music work for sync? What are music supervisors actually looking for? At SoundTrack_Cologne's Track Check, experienced music supervisors, consultants, and publishers come together to share their insights and give participants direct, personal feedback. They will evaluate your TV underscore and promo/trailer/advertising tracks, highlighting what stands out and offering concrete ideas for improvement.
Submit your tracks before Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 18:00 CEST!
If you want to participate in the Track Check, click the button below and fill out the form:
Track Check Submission
SoundTrack_Cologne veranstaltet zum fünften Mal die Women* Film Composer Class (WFCC). Diese Ausgabe der WFCC wird von der Initiative Musik unterstützt. Daher erhalten die Teilnehmerinnen eine Erstattung von bis zu 200 € für Reise.
SoundTrack_Cologne veranstaltet zum fünften Mal die Women* Film Composer Class (WFCC). Diese Ausgabe der WFCC wird von der Initiative Musik unterstütz (...)
Do., 16. bis Sa., 18.07.2026 · COMEDIA Theater
Frauen sind in der Filmmusik nach wie vor deutlich unterrepräsentiert. Laut dem European Audiovisual Observatory waren Komponistinnen zwischen 2019 und 2023 lediglich mit 10 % in audiovisuellen Serienepisoden und TV-Filmen in Europa vertreten (in Deutschland sogar nur 6 %) - und mit 12 % bei europäischen Spielfilmen. Im Vergleich zu den Jahren 2015–2018 (6 % bzw. 8 %) bedeutet dies zwar eine leichte Verbesserung, dennoch bleibt die Unterrepräsentation von Komponistinnen in der audiovisuellen Industrie gravierend.
Als Antwort auf diese Zahlen führt die SoundTrack_Cologne bereits zum fünften Mal die Women* Film Composer Class (WFCC) durch. Es ist das einzige Veranstaltungsformat dieser Art in der deutschen Medienmusikbranche, das sich gezielt an komponierende FLINTA* in Film und TV richtet.
Die WFCC ist ein dreitägiger Intensivkurs (16.-18. Juli). Ausgewählte Programmpunkte von SoundTrack_Cologne, darunter die Matchmaking-Sessions, sind Bestandteil des WFCC-Programms.
Musikalische Fähigkeiten, außergewöhnliche Kreativität und kompositorisches Handwerk sollten die Teilnehmerinnen bereits mitbringen. Die Women* Film Composer Class setzt dort an, wo künstlerische Ausbildungen oft enden:
Im Mittelpunkt stehen daher die beruflichen Kompetenzen, die auch für eine erfolgreiche Karriere entscheidend sind – u.a. Networking, Selbstvermarktung und PR, GEMA, Verwertungsketten sowie die Planung von Postproduktionsprozessen. (Das vollständige Programm finden Sie hier)
Die WFCC richtet sich vor allem an Film-, TV- und Medienkomponistinnen, aber auch an Musikerinnen, Tonmeisterinnen, Musikproduzentinnen, Musiksupervisorinnen, Filmmusikagentinnen, Musikverlegerinnen. Angesprochen sind FLINTA*-Komponistinnen, die idealerweise bereits ihre ersten Filme, TV-Programme, Computerspiele, Hörspiele, Theaterstücke vertont und einige Erfahrungen gesammelt haben.
Die Zahl der verfügbaren Plätze ist auf 12 begrenzt.
Sie sind automatisch für die beiden Matchmaking-Veranstaltungen von SoundTrack_Cologne qualifiziert und erhalten Einladungen zu allen Netzwerkveranstaltungen des Festivals.
Teilnahme:
Die Teilnahmegebühr beträgt 145 EUR inkl. Mwst. und umfasst das komplette Programm von SoundTrack_Cologne und der Women* Film Composer Class. Bereits akkreditierte Festivalteilnehmerinnen können die Differenz nachzahlen oder eine anteilige Rückerstattung beantragen.
Diese Ausgabe der WFCC wird von der Initiative Musik unterstützt. Daher erhalten die Teilnehmerinnen eine Erstattung von bis zu 200 € für Reise- und Übernachtungskosten nach erfolgtem Besuch der WFCC.
Die Veranstaltungen finden auf Deutsch und teilweise auf Englisch statt. Teilnahmeberechtigt sind in Deutschland ansässige FLINTA*-Personen.
Was macht die WFCC in diesem Jahr so besonders?
Ein besonderes Highlight der diesjährigen Ausgabe: Nach Abschluss des Sommerkurses erhalten die Teilnehmerinnen vier einstündige Mentoring-Sitzungen (verteilt auf drei Monate) mit Mentoren und Mentorinnen.
Anmeldeschluss ist der 6. Juli 2026 um 10:00 Uhr (MESZ).
Die Women* Film Composer Class 2026 ist ein Projekt von SoundTrack_Cologne und wird unterstützt von Initiative Musik, GEMA, DEFKOM, Composers Club und Enterprises Sonor.
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne will once again host its matchmaking sessions, an excellent opportunity to connect with leading international professionals from the music, film, games, and media industries.
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne will once again host its matchmaking sessions, an excellent opportunity to connect with leading interna (...)
On Thursday, July 16, 2026, SoundTrack_Cologne will once again host its matchmaking sessions, an excellent opportunity to connect with leading international professionals from the music, film, games, and media industries.
This is a space for meaningful exchange, professional advice, and new collaborations. SoundTrack_Cologne has curated an exclusive lineup of renowned film directors, film producers, editors, music supervisors, and agents who are eager to meet you, whether to share insights, offer guidance, or expand their network.
Don't miss the chance to meet potential new business partners in short, focused one-on-one meetings!
Sign up now to take part in these networking opportunities!
Spots are limited, and meetings will be arranged based on your preferences and those of the invited experts. To improve your chances of securing meetings, we recommend submitting your request as soon as possible, along with a short bio and your goals for each meeting.
You'll receive your personalised schedule by email shortly before the event.
Registration closes on Friday, July 3, 2026, at 10:00 am CEST.
SoundTrack_Cologne, in cooperation with Landesmusikrat NRW, is bringing back the AI MusicCon for its third edition, this time with a full day of programming on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at Comedia Theater, featuring keynotes, roundtables and workshops.
SoundTrack_Cologne, in cooperation with Landesmusikrat NRW, is bringing back the AI MusicCon for its third edition, this time with a full day of progr (...)
The opportunities and challenges that Artificial Intelligence presents for music and culture remain one of the defining topics of our time. SoundTrack_Cologne, in cooperation with Landesmusikrat NRW, is bringing back the AI MusicCon for its third edition, this time with a full day of programming on Wednesday, 15 July 2026 at Comedia Theater Cologne, featuring keynotes, roundtables, hands-on workshops, and an AI installation.
The AI MusicCon aims to cut through the hype, shed light on real-world applications, legal frameworks, and future developments, and to foster an open, fact-based dialogue about AI in music and culture.
This year's programme opens with keynotes by Prof. Dr. Martin Andree on reclaiming the internet from Big Tech and Prof. Dr. Francisco Tigre Moura on AI's threat to cultural diversity, followed by discussions on rights attribution featuring Michael Duderstädt (GEMA) and Helienne Lindvall (ECSA). Legal perspectives on EU transparency obligations and content labelling will be addressed by Dr. S. Dennis Engbrink, while the newly launched NRW competence network K3 KI.Kunst.Kultur will make its debut.
Hands-on workshops, including algorithmic audio coding, open-source AI music tools with professors from HfMT Köln, and a music pedagogy workshop, round out the programme alongside talks on AI in music education and a closing panel on the bottom line of AI in music and culture.
The AI MusicCon can be attended as part of the SoundTrack_Cologne festival accreditation or with a separate ticket.
Download the full programme here.
Eighteen composers and sound designers from fourteen nominated entries are in the running for this year’s EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD. The competition screening will take place on Friday, July 17th at 10:30 at ODEON Cinema.
Eighteen composers and sound designers from fourteen nominated entries are in the running for this year’s EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD. The competition scree (...)
Eighteen composers and sound designers from fourteen nominated entries are in the running for this year’s EUROPEAN TALENT AWARD. While some collaborated in teams, others worked individually on their submissions. The winners will be announced at the festive awards ceremony on July 17th at the COMEDIA Theater.
The EUROPEAN TALENT COMPETITION provides a dedicated platform specifically for emerging talents in film music and sound design.
Participants had the choice to either compose the original score or to create the sound design for the short film "FAKE NEWS" (directed by David Seul) - or to re-score the film in a collaborative team of composer and sound designer.
The nominees (in alphabetical order):
Jakob Altmann (Score), Anastasios Antoniou (Score), Bertold Budig (Sound Design), Guilhem Coletti (Score & Sound Design), Constanze Lewandowsky (Sound Design), Barnabas Molnar (Score), Daniella Nassar (Score), Andrea Neri (Score), Niels Peter Olrik (Score), Samuel Pfeil (Score), Marcel Rudert (Score), Peter Seedoch (Score), Natasa Sormaz (Sound Design), Nicolas Soulatre Varea (Score & Sound Design), Natalija Strahinic (Sound Design), Aldo Tizcareño (Score), Yiheng Xian (Score) and Maja Zielińska (Sound Design).
The competition screening will take place on Friday, July 17th at 10:30 at ODEON Cinema. To buy the tickets for the screening, click here.
The nominees and their new scores and sound designs for "FAKE NEWS" will be presented to the audience and jury by Yati Durant.
The winner of the WDR FILMSCORE AWARD will have the opportunity to record an original composition of 7 – 9 minutes length with the WDR Funkhausorchester – for many young composers, this could be their first opportunity to record with a large orchestra and the beginning of filling out their film-scoring calling card.
The winner for the best SOUND DESIGN will receive a 5.1 cinematic mix down in the prestigious sound mixing studio toruspost.
Find out more information about our nominees and the jury members.
READ MORE!
Join us for three outstanding live music events that showcase the magic of music across film, television, video games, and beyond.
Join us for three outstanding live music events that showcase the magic of music across film, television, video games, and beyond. (...)
Join us for three outstanding live music events that showcase the magic of music across film, television, video games, and beyond.
Admission is free for all SoundTrack_Cologne accreditation holders (excluding day passes and select ticketed events).
Not attending the congress? No problem, individual tickets are available for all concerts, so you can join us for these special events. Find all the information and ticket links below each concert.
Nine composers are nominated for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD. The winner will be announced at the festival awards ceremony on July 17 at the COMEDIA Theater.
Nine composers are nominated for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD. The winner will be announced at the festival awards ceremony on July 17 at the COMEDIA Th (...)
Nine composers are nominated for the PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD. The winner will be announced at the festival awards ceremony on July 17 at the COMEDIA Theater.
The PEER RABEN MUSIC AWARD honors the Best Original Music in a Short Film. The winner receives a prize money of 1,500 euros. First presented in 2009, the award commemorates the great German film composer Peer Raben.
Nominated are seven film scores from festival highlights of the international short film scene, recognised for their innovative and dramaturgically coherent use of music and sound in relation to the narrative.
This year's selection features award-winning titles including The Apricot, winner of Best Animated Short Film at the New York International Children's Film Festival and Best Animated Short for Kids at the Portland Festival of Cinema, as well as The Gathering Light, selected for Flickerfest, Australia's leading international short film festival.
The nominees:
- Ksenia Ignatenko & Leticia Martínez Goás (A Better You, directed by Arina Popa)
- Becca Schack (Unbound, directed by Kendra Copeland)
- Dayanera Alipour & Maximilian Lindinger (MELPOMENE - Fragments of a fever dream, directed by Kai Sieber)
- Daniel Duque (The Gathering Light, directed by Xavier Masson-Leach)
- Ayda Akbal (Rough Ways, directed by Benjamin McFadden)
- Pascal Horn (The Apricot, directed by Alex Avila)
- Lukas Geppert (Lantern, directed by Leopold Schraudolph)
The competition screening will take place on Thursday, July 16, at 18:30, at Odeon Kino 2. To buy tickets for the screening, click here.
A Better You plunges us into a near-future dystopia where positivity is enforced by law. A woman desperate to keep her vulnerable brother safe must perform emotional labour for a therapy dog and survive a system that has already swallowed everyone around her. Unbound explores the realities of stereotypical typecasting through the story of a talented Black actress in a powerful one-woman show. In MELPOMENE – Fragments of a Fever Dream, theatrical performer Lucien tries to let go of the stress of a recent performance, only to find himself drawn into an emotional conversation about young artists’ fears and uncertainties for the future. Selected for Australia's Flickerfest Film Festival, The Gathering Light follows an old man searching for jewels in the Hawkesbury River. Set in the wild Washington Territory of 1887, Rough Ways centres on the battle of The Kid, who suddenly faces a choice that might determine the rest of his life. The hand-drawn 2D animated film The Apricot tells the story of a 10-year-old boy experiencing his first summer working on his family's apricot farm; a two-time award-winning project based on real childhood memories the director holds dear. Lantern takes us into another dystopian world, where a girl must befriend the magical creature trapped inside a lantern in order to escape her captor and the cruel system he upholds.
The nominees and their films will be presented to audience and jury under the moderation of composer André Feldhaus.
Get your badge now and attend this exciting competition.
Music is one of cinemas's most powerful storytelling tools, shaping how we feel, remember, and understand what we see on screen. As part of the Composing for Film Day at STC, our composers will discuss their creative approaches to scoring for film.
Music is one of cinemas's most powerful storytelling tools, shaping how we feel, remember, and understand what we see on screen. As part of the Compos (...)
Music is one of cinemas's most powerful storytelling tools, shaping how we feel, remember, and understand what we see on screen. As part of the Composing for Film Day at SoundTrack_Cologne 23, taking place on Thursday, July 16, our guest composers will discuss their creative approaches to scoring for film: translating image, emotion, and story into music. From intimate, independent projects to genre-defining blockbusters, their work spans a remarkably wide range of genres and styles.
This year, we are proud to welcome Finnish composer Panu Aaltio, the 2026 HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award recipient for Little Siberia, and the only composer to have won the IFMCA Best Documentary Score award for all three films of a trilogy: Tale of a Forest (2013) · Tale of a Lake (2017) and Tale of the Sleeping Giants (2022).
Joining him is Nathan Larson, whose acclaimed scores for films such as Boys Don't Cry · High Fidelity · Margin Call and The Woodsman, have established him as one of independent cinema's most distinctive voices.
We are also pleased to welcome Swiss composer Mirjam Skal (Les Courageux), recently honoured with the Rolf-Hans Müller Prize for Best Film Score (awarded for her soundtrack to the Tatort episode Of Apes and Men) and the German Documentary Film Music Award (Vracht).
Closing this year’s Composing for Film Day is our Career Achievement Award 2026 honouree, Christopher Young, whose more than 160 film scores, from Hellraiser to Spider-Man 3, have made him one of the most versatile voices in contemporary film music.
Composing for Films
Thursday, July 16 · COMEDIA Theater, Roter Saal
10:30 - 11:30
Panu Aaltio
Little Siberia - winner of the HARPA Nordic Film Composers Award 2026
Workshop · Discussion
12:00 - 13:00
Nathan Laron
Boys Don't Cry · High Fidelity · Margin Call
Workshop · Discussion
14:30 - 15:30
Mirjam Skal
Les Courageux · Vracht - winner of the German Documentary Film Music Award 2025
Workshop · Discussion
16:00 - 17:30
Christopher Young
Hellraiser· Spider-Man 3 · Norma Jean & Marilyn
Conversation with the STC23 Career Achievement Award Winner
