David Lynch to be honoured by World Soundtrack Awards at Belgium's Film Fest Gent

Belgium's largest film festival Film Fest Gent and the World Soundtrack Academy will celebrate the much-missed American director David Lynch during their annual Film Music Composition Contest.  

Young composers will be tasked to write a symphonic score for an excerpt of Lynch’s 1980 cult classic The Elephant Man. 

Starring John Hurt in the titular role, The Elephant Man is based on the real-life story of English artist John Merrick. Due to his severe physical deformities, Merrick went on to be exhibited in freak shows across England. The feature received eight Academy Awards nominations, including Best Director for Lynch and Best Original Score for composer John Morris.

Submissions for the Film Music Composition Contest are open until 12 May 2025 to composers under the age of 36. The winner will be presented with the Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer on 15 October 2025 during the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony - as part of the 52nd edition of Film Fest Gent. 

In 2024, the prize was awarded to Dutch composer Florian van der Reijden for his work on an extract of Nicolas Roeg’s 1990 movie The Witches. 

Lynch died in January aged 78 after being forced to relocate from his house along Sunset Boulevard due to the LA wildfires. Known for his dark, surrealist style, his most famous works included the films Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, as well as the celebrated TV show Twin Peaks.  

Film Fest Gent will take place from 8-19 October 2025.

Additional sources • Variety