The 2025 Screen Music Awards celebrated the best in Australian screen composition at a glittering ceremony at Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall last night, recognising a powerful year in music for film, TV and games.
Presented by APRA AMCOS and the Australian Guild of Screen Composers (AGSC), this year’s event marked the first time the ceremony has been held in Brisbane. Sixteen awards were presented, with Melbourne’s Cornel Wilczek emerging as the night’s biggest winner.
Wilczek claimed Best Music for a Television Drama for Fake (Season 1 Episode 5), shared with 2024’s Emerging Screen Composer of the Year Alex Olijnyk, and also picked up Best Opening Title Television Theme with Thomas Rouch for The Survivors, Netflix’s adaptation of Jane Harper’s bestselling novel.
Queensland composers made a strong showing at their home-state debut, collecting three of the night’s top honours. Beloved Bluey composer Joff Bush took home Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas, his second consecutive win in the category. Bluey continues its global run as the most-streamed show in the United States for 2024.
Singer-songwriter Megan Washington was recognised with Best Original Song Composed for the Screen for “Dream On” from How To Make Gravy, the film based on Paul Kelly’s classic Christmas tune. Washington’s win was capped off with a surprise performance of the song by Electric Fields, joined by a choir led by Deline Briscoe, echoing the song’s emotional punch from the screen.
Local talent Cedar Jones also flew the Queensland flag, winning Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media for Feed The Deep, a category that only debuted last year.
Jed Kurzel added another chapter to his already impressive career, taking out Feature Film Score of the Year for Tornado, a British period action-drama. Kurzel has now won the category four times, following earlier triumphs for Monkey Man (2024), Slow West (2015) and Snowtown (2011).
Veteran composing duo Adam Gock and Dinesh Wicks extended their unmatched streak, claiming Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia for the eleventh time. Their ongoing work across Farmer Wants A Wife, LEGO Masters, MasterChef and Travel Guides continues to dominate local television soundscapes.
Rising star Ayda Akbal was named Emerging Screen Composer of the Year, capping a remarkable run that includes the 2023 Global Professional Development Award from the American Australian Association and selection for APRA AMCOS’s 23% Mentorship Program.
Finn Clarke took home his first Screen Music Award for Best Soundtrack Album with The Raftsmen, a documentary about twelve men who crossed the ocean on handmade wooden rafts.
Other notable winners included Lance Gurisik for Best Music for an Advertisement (Toyota CH-R Diamond), Iain Grandage and Josh Hogan for Best Music for Children’s Programming (Runt), and Helena Czajka for Best Music for a Documentary (Yurlu | Country).
Dale Cornelius earned Best Music for a Short Film (The Way Home), while Antony Partos and Jackson Milas shared Best Music for a Television Comedy for Return To Paradise (Season 1 Episode 1). Benjamin Speed took home Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series for Tony Armstrong’s Eat The Invaders.
The night’s most prestigious honour, Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen, was awarded to Christopher Gordon. The award was presented by acclaimed director Bruce Beresford, celebrating a long creative partnership that includes Ladies In Black and Mao’s Last Dancer.
The ceremony was hosted by David Wenham AM, Mark Coles Smith, and Nathalie Morris, with returning music director Erkki Veltheim conducting a live orchestra performing suites from nominated works, bringing some of Australia’s most powerful screen moments to life on stage.
2025 SCREEN MUSIC AWARD WINNERS
Best Music for an Advertisement
Toyota CH-R Diamond – Lance Gurisik
Best Music for Children’s Programming
Runt – Iain Grandage / Josh Hogan
Best Music for a Documentary
Yurlu | Country – Helena Czajka
Best Music for a Short Film
The Way Home – Dale Cornelius
Best Music for a Television Comedy
Return To Paradise (Season 1 Episode 1) – Jackson Milas / Antony Partos
Best Music for a Television Drama
Fake (Season 1 Episode 5) – Cornel Wilczek / Alex Olijnyk
Best Music for Unscripted & Reality Television Series
Eat The Invaders – Benjamin Speed
Best Music for a Video Game or Other Interactive Media
Feed The Deep – Cedar Jones
Best Opening Title Television Theme
The Survivors – Thomas Rouch / Cornel Wilczek
Best Original Song Composed for the Screen
“Dream On” from How To Make Gravy – Megan Washington
Best Soundtrack Album
The Raftsmen – Finn Clarke
Feature Film Score of the Year
Tornado – Jed Kurzel
Emerging Screen Composer of the Year
Ayda Akbal
Most Performed Screen Composer – Australia
Adam Gock / Dinesh Wicks
Most Performed Screen Composer – Overseas
Joff Bush
Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen
Christopher Gordon
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