Alexandre Desplat, the French film composer whose credits include The King’s Speech, Godzilla and Argo, has been named president of the International Jury for the Competition section of the 71st Venice International Film Festival (Aug 27 to Sept 6). This is the first time a film composer has been chosen to chair Venice’s Competition jury.
Desplat has been nominated for an Oscar six times, for The Queen, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The King’s Speech, Argo and Philomena. He has also been awarded numerous other prizes, such as a Golden Globe, three Césars, two European Film Awards and a Bafta.
Alberto Barbera, Venice Film Festival director, has said that, “Alexandre Desplat is not only one of the greatest composers of film scores today but an ardent cinéphile, whose extraordinary artistic sensitivity is sustained by a profound knowledge of cinema, of its history, of its language.”
“Italian cinema has influenced both my taste and my music more than any other,” said Desplat. “I am proud to be coming to the Venice Film Festival the year after Bernardo Bertolucci.”
Using a musician as talented and experienced as Desplat is obviously miles away from licensing music for film, of course. Any favourite soundtracks of his that you recommend?
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