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A Bahraini multi-instrumentalist struck a chord in the hearts of judges of an American-based film festival winning him the award for Best Original Music Score used in a film as well as the pride of representing the quality of musical talent that is emerging from the kingdom.
Isa Najem, a 25-year-old film score composer, musician and social media influencer, received the accolade from the Los Angeles Cinematography Awards (LACA), a festival that encourages and promotes upcoming filmmakers by showcasing their works with a screening in Hollywood.
He beat out several submissions received monthly by creatives from around the world that demonstrate excellence in the art of film.
His music score on Florence, a film by Italian director Emanuele Daga and producer Almotaz Aljefri, captivated festival goers. It was said this score added dimension to the film that was hidden within the cinematic canvas and his orchestral melodies were said to have portrayed unexplainable emotions developing within Florence, the film’s leading lady.
“It was an honour to win this award and makes me proud that all my hard work over the years has come to fruition,” said Isa, who has more than 42,000 followers on Instagram @isanajem.
According to Isa, studying music is an extremely uncommon major for a Bahraini which is why he decided to document his musical educational process on social media platforms. That exposure caught the attention of different directors who then approached him for collaborations, setting him on the film score composing path.
“When I scored my first film with only a laptop and midi keyboard, I expected it to be a one-time thing,” said Isa. “After handing in the score, I realised how addicting it was. It was the greatest form of expression I have ever experienced. I couldn’t shake off that feeling. Every film I watched after that was different. I began noticing every sonic detail. I began experimenting with hardware and software to become more fluent. I started composing music non-stop until my DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) home screen became my sanctuary; a monitor filled with limitless possibilities of expression, and then becoming a job filled with fulfilment.
“I genuinely have this feeling that my whole life was preparing me to become a film composer; starting with my experimentation with many genres that took me to composing, my hobby of photography that made me understand film and my social media contents that made me understand editing. All of these set skills were pushing me to one specific direction; film composing.”
He was thrilled to compose a score for Florence, a film that tackles the idea of acceptance and hope about a girl who needed to be loved, only to find out that she needed to love herself first. Florence goes through her days without letting anyone into her world but when someone slips a love letter into her pocket, she decides to branch out, remembering what it is to feel hopeful.
