The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival shines a spotlight on legendary film music composers through the Jecheon Film Music Award. From 2005 to 2016, this award was given to Korean film music composers who left a distinct mark in the field of Korean film music. Since 2017, the scope has expanded to Asia, awarding composers such as Kawai Kenji, Tan Dun, and Lim Giong. In 2022, the scope was further expanded to the world, awarding Justin Hurwitz, the music director of La La Land. In 2023, the award was presented to the late film composer and musician Sakamoto Ryuichi. In 2024, it was awarded to Yoshimata Ryo, a master of Japanese new age music and well known as the composer of the Between Calmness and Passion soundtrack.
This year’s recipient of the Jecheon Film Music Award is Éric Serra, one of France’s leading film music composers and leader of the band RXRA. To celebrate his award, the 21st Jecheon International Music & Film Festival will screen his representative works, Leon, The Big Blue, and GoldenEye, and hold an Éric Serra masterclass and concert.
The French musician Éric Serra has worked closely with director Luc Besson since the 1980s, composing music for films such as The Last Battle(1983), Subway(1985), The Big Blue(1988), La Femme Nikita(1990), Leon(1994), and The Fifth Element(1997). In 1989, he won the CÉsar Award for Best Original Music for The Big Blue, and in 1995, he composed the music for the James Bond film GoldenEye. Since the 2000s, he has continued working on films in both France and Hollywood, while also pursuing solo albums and concerts outside of his film work.
