Reboutsika’s horizons widen with international award
An established musician on Greece’s domestic music circuit, composer and violinist Evanthia Reboutsika has now made an impact beyond the local frontier by winning the Discovery of the Year prize at the recent World Soundtrack Awards for 2006. This award is important recognition for emerging composers for cinema and has already proven to be a good indicator of the Oscar for Best Film Music. The awards, held by the World Soundtrack Academy, were presented during the 33rd Flanders International Film Festival in Ghent. Reboutsika, who attended the event, won the prize for the soundtrack to the Turkish film «My Father and My Son.» The Greek composer emerged victorious from a short list of five composers that included the internationally renowned rock star Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, a regular collaborator, for their soundtrack to «The Proposition,» as well as Douglas Pipes for his music for the film «Monster House.» Commenting on her distinction, Reboutsika said the award gave her particular joy because it concerned an «unlikely» collaboration between a Turkish film director and a Greek composer. Reboutsika’s prize has prompted wider distribution interest for the «My Father and My Son» soundtrack, released on Cantini, an independent label operated by the winning composer and her partner-colleague Panayiotis Kalantzopoulos. Alberto Iglesias won two awards for his music to «The Constant Gardener» – Soundtrack Composer of the Year and Best Original Soundtrack. The competition’s Public Choice Award went to Oscar winner Gustavo Santaolalla for the soundtrack of «Brokeback Mountain.» Other awards included Best Original Song Written Directly for a Film, which went to veteran songwriter Randy Newman for «Our Town,» a number performed by James Taylor and used in the film «Cars.» The award for Best Young Belgian Composer was won by Alexis Koustoulidis for his score for the silent short film «Le Fauteuil Vivant.» It is worth noting that, besides the Oscar winner Santaolalla, previous winners of the Discovery of the Year Award have included Antonio Pinto for penning the soundtrack to «City of God» and Craig Armstrong for «Moulin Rouge.»
