The Ghent Film Festival is characterised by a programme which mixes films aimed at general audiences and arthouse (sometimes even difficult) works, and a particular attention paid to film music. The latter is recognised by awards at the festival, and put in the spotlight at the World Soundtrack Awards which are welcomed by the festival. 

This year, the International Jury crowned the new film by Gaspar Noé, Vortex [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
ficha de la película], starring Dario Argento and Françoise Lebrun. The Jury said they were "impressed by the direction, originality, script and editing, but also by the sound design and the exceptional performances from the cast. The film’s particular use of split screen makes it no less than an exceptional work of art."

The jury also gave a special mention to Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s film Memoria [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
ficha de la película], "a mysterious and terribly stimulating experience.” 

The George Delerue Award for Best Score was given to Ghent-based composer Ruben De Gheselle for his work on Clara Sola [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén
ficha de la película] by Nathalie Álvarez Mesén.

At the 21st World Music Awards, British composer Daniel Pemberton won the award for Film Composer of the Year for his work on Rising Phoenix, Enola Holmes and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Young English composer Nainita Desai meanwhile won the Discovery of the Year award for the original score of The Reason I Jump [+lee también:
tráiler
ficha de la película].

The Ghent Film Festival also welcomed the Explore Zone Jury, composed of young cinephiles aged 18 to 26. They chose this year to give their award to Pleasure [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Ninja Thyberg
ficha de la película], from Swedish director Ninja Thyberg. They also gave a special mention to Animals [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Nabil Ben Yadir
ficha de la película], the very radical new film from Belgian director Nabil Ben Yadir.

Finally, the festival shone a spotlight on a young generation of filmmakers through its short film competition, where Double Helix by Qiu Sheng won the Best International Short Film Award, Z Bratem by Mattias Bavré was given the Best Belgian Student Film award, and L’Enfant Salamandre by Théo Degen won the Audience Award. 

The full list of winners is as follows: 

Competition

Grand Prix
Vortex [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
ficha de la película] - Gaspar Noé (France/Belgium/Monaco)

Special Mention
Memoria [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
ficha de la película] - Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Colombia/Thailand/United Kingdom/Mexico/France/Germany/China/Taiwan/United States/Switzerland)

George Delerue Award for Best Score
Ruben de Gheselle - Clara Sola [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Nathalie Álvarez Mesén
ficha de la película] (Sweden/Costa Rica/Belgium/Germany/United States)

Short Film Competition

Best International Short Film
Double Helix - Qiu Sheng (China)

Best Belgian Student Film
Z Bratem - Mattias Bavré (Belgium)

Audience Award for Best Belgian Short Film
L’Enfant Salamandre - Théo Degen (Belgium)

Explore Zone

Explore Award
Pleasure [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Ninja Thyberg
ficha de la película] - Ninja Thyberg (Sweden/Netherlands/France)

Special Mention
Animals [+lee también:
crítica
tráiler
entrevista: Nabil Ben Yadir
ficha de la película] - Nabil Ben Yadir (Belgium/France)

World Soundtrack Awards

Film Composer of the Year
Daniel Pemberton - Rising Phoenix (United Kingdom/United States), Enola Holmes (United States), The Trial of the Chicago 7 (United States)

TV Composer of the Year
Carlos Rafael Rivera - The Queen’s Gambit (United States), Hacks (United States)

Best Original Song
Call me Cruella - Nicholas Britell, Florence Welch, Steph Jones, Jordan Powers, Taura Stinson (Cruella) (United States)

Discovery of the Year
Nainita Desai - The Reason I Jump [+lee también:
tráiler
ficha de la película] (United Kingdom/United States)

Audience Award
Benji Merrison - SAS: Red Notice (United Kingdom/United States/Switzerland)