A COMPOSER based in Holywood is celebrating a first win at the acclaimed Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards.
It was a night full of firsts for Die Hexen, who scooped the ‘Best Original Music’ award for the first ever Irish language horror film, ‘Fréwaka’.
The 22nd anniversary of the IFTA Awards was a star-studded affair, with Die Hexen sharing the red carpet with fellow Irish talents Cillian Murphy, Colin Farrell, Saoirse Ronan, Nicola Coughlan, Sharon Horgan, Chris O’Dowd and Kneecap to name a few.
The long-awaited achievement marks their fourth IFTA nomination in six years. The composer, who is also a producer and filmmaker, expressed their ‘overwhelming delight’ at the news.
“Winning my first IFTA is an overwhelming delight, especially for a film like Fréwaka, which explores unconventional horror themes and delves into the generational trauma experienced by Irish women.”
Die Hexen’s category win saw them beat competing nominees David Holmes and Martin Dirkov (The Apprentice), Sarah Lynch (The Dry), Ray Harman (The Song Cycle) and Eimear Noone and Craig Stuart Garfinkle (The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh).
They said collaborating with Fréwaka director, Aislinn Clarke, made the IFTA accolade ‘particularly satisfying’.
“Her direction and my score aligned perfectly to create a haunting narrative that resonates deeply.”
The Irish folk/horror film follows the story of a Dublin care worker who takes an eerie new assignment in a remote village to nurse a reclusive, elderly woman who lives in fear, haunted by her experiences in a Catholic asylum. Soon, her paranoia begins to rub off on the protagonist, forcing her to face horrors from her own past.
Die Hexen said the inspiration for the score came from delving into Irish folklore and history, using ancient celtic instruments to evoke a sense of dread to suit the film’s themes
They described collaborating on the film as a ‘deeply immersive experience’.
“I crafted the score to reflect the protagonist’s psychological journey, creating a soundscape that mirrors her growing unease and emotional turmoil.
“Aislinn’s striking visuals and dark themes provided a rich canvas for building a complex sonic landscape that captures the raw emotions of the characters.”
Their score for Fréwaka also received an award for ‘Best Original Music’ at the 2024 Sitges Film Festival, the world’s largest horror/fantasy festival, held in Catalonia, Spain.
Following the IFTA win and other recent successes, Die Hexen said they are already working on their next big project.
“I’m in the early stages of developing my debut feature film, and have five feature scores on the horizon, including for a much larger American studio film. But it’s all very hush-hush!”
Fréwaka will be shown at Queen’s Film Theatre at a special screening on April 17, followed by a Q&A session with director Aislinn Clarke, with further showings taking place between April 25-May 1st.
The film will officially release in Irish cinemas and on horror streaming service Shudder on April 25.
