Imagine watching a horror movie without music—awkward silence, right? Music in a film isn’t just background noise; it is a powerful storyteller on its own. Think about the last melody that made you cry, or that one scene that made you tear up because of its soundtrack. Perhaps you ask yourself, Why is this happening? The answer lies in a mixture of empathy, memory, and love, acting in the most humane way possible.

I still recall the first time I became obsessed with movie soundtracks. It was when I understood that what was essential was invisible to the eye, it was the music of “The Little Prince”. Back then, I didn't know any prestigious composers, like Hans Zimmer, who wrote such fascinating and melancholic melodies for the movie. At that moment, I just closed my eyes and the music could tell me everything, sometimes even more than what was on the screen. I could feel what the characters felt: complete sadness, compassion, loss, love. Then, I could understand that music spoke through its notes, shouted with its melodies, and whispered with its silence.

In the aftermath of my love for music, I would play this game where I would listen to iconic movie soundtracks from renowned movies (even if I hadn’t seen them yet), and I would try to guess the name, the film, and the composer. This exercise opened my eyes to a new music genre and world where I would relive memories, cry, or feel genuine fear in a horror movie. Behind every unforgettable film score, a talented composer works to make a melody suitable for a movie, depending on the message it wants to transmit. Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Interstellar), Danny Elfman (The Nightmare Before Christmas), and Craig Armstrong (Love Actually, The Space Between us) are just a few examples of many brilliant melodists, who I’m certain you’ve heard of. 

The world of symphonic melodies has left an indelible mark on the music industry and the Academy Awards, which has two special categories to nominate the best soundtracks and original songs made for films. In these categories have participated artists who are surely a little better known: Lady Gaga (Shallow), Billie Eilish (No Time to Die), Adele (Skyfall), and Elton John (Love Me Again).

Through the soundtracks of movies, I have been able to identify some that could be part of mine. Without them, a film would feel empty, almost unfeeling. Music transports us to places we have never been, takes us to experience unknown feelings, and recalls cherished memories.