The International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA) today announced the winners of the 2021 IFMCA Awards for excellence in musical scoring.

The award for Score of the Year goes to composer Maurizio Malagnini, for his score for the unique fantasy-science fiction-ballet film Coppelia. The film stars members of the Dutch National Ballet and is an updated version of the original stage work by Léo Delibes, in which a pair of young lovers from a small European town must save their home from an evil interloper intending to use the townspeople’s ‘essence’ to give life to a robotic creation. The score was also named Best Original Score for a Fantasy/Sci-Fi/Horror Film.

James Newton Howard was named Composer of the Year, having written acclaimed music for two films in 2021, Jungle Cruise and Raya and the Last Dragon. Jungle Cruise was also named Best Score for an Action/Adventure/Thriller film, while Raya and the Last Dragon was named Best Score for an Animated film.

Several more scores of genre works are among the winners listed below:

FILM SCORE OF THE YEAR

• COPPELIA, music by Maurizio Malagnini

FILM COMPOSER OF THE YEAR

• JAMES NEWTON HOWARD

BREAKTHROUGH COMPOSER OF THE YEAR

• OSCAR MARTÍN LEANIZBARRUTIA

FILM MUSIC COMPOSITION OF THE YEAR

• “Arachnoverture” from SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, music by Michael Giacchino

ROBERTO ASCHIERI SPECIAL AWARD

• NICK REDMAN

KYLE RENICK SPECIAL AWARD

• WEST SIDE STORY

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A DRAMA FILM

• THE CURSE OF TURANDOT, music by Simon Franglen

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A COMEDY FILM

• CRUELLA, music by Nicholas Britell

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER FILM

• JUNGLE CRUISE, music by James Newton Howard

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A FANTASY/SCIENCE FICTION/HORROR FILM

• COPPELIA, music by Maurizio Malagnini

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR AN ANIMATED FEATURE

• RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON, music by James Newton Howard

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A DOCUMENTARY

• TALE OF THE SLEEPING GIANTS [TUNTURIN TARINA], music by Panu Aaltio

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR TELEVISION

• MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: REVELATION, music by Bear McCreary

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE FOR A VIDEO GAME OR INTERACTIVE MEDIA

• RATCHET & CLANK: RIFT APART, music by Mark Mothersbaugh and Wataru Hokoyama

BEST NEW ARCHIVAL RELEASE – RE-RELEASE OR RE-RECORDING

• THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK, music by Alfred Newman; album produced by Nick Redman, Mike Matessino, and Neil S. Bulk; liner notes by Julie Kirgo; album art direction by Jim Titus (La-La Land)

BEST NEW ARCHIVAL RELEASE – COMPILATION

• THE FILM SCORES OF BERNARD HERRMANN, music by Bernard Herrmann; album produced by Tony d’Amato, Gavin Barratt, Raymond Few, and Tim McDonald; liner notes by Tom Schneller; album art direction by Matt Read (Decca)

FILM MUSIC RECORD LABEL OF THE YEAR

• LA-LA LAND RECORDS, MV Gerhard and Matt Verboys