Benjamin made his scoring debut at the age of 24, composing the music for Thomas Vinterberg’s Dear Wendy. This score earned him his first nomination as ‘Discovery of the Year’ in the 2005 World Soundtrack Awards and also a nomination for ‘Best Original Score’ in the 2006 Danish Film Academy Awards. His subsequent score, for Rupert Wyatt’s suspense thriller The Escapist earned him a nomination as ‘Best Original Film Score’ in the 2009 Ivor Novello Awards and his second nomination as ‘Discovery of the Year’ in the 2008 World Soundtrack Awards.
The score for Summer in February garnered Wallfisch his third nomination at the 2013 World Soundtrack Awards, following its release on Deutsche Grammophon to international critical acclaim, including Classic FM – “Wallfisch’s lush score is sumptuously romantic and atmospheric” and Film Music Media – “This is wonderful writing executed masterfully. A truly beautiful score.” The score was recently awarded ‘Best Score – Special Feature’ in the 2013 Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
Other recent features include the Lionsgate thriller Hours starring Paul Walker (Fast and Furious) and directed by Eric Heisserer (The Thing), the Viking saga thriller from Vertigo Films, Hammer of the Gods, directed by Farren Blackburn (Doctor Who), and the historical drama Bhopal a Prayer for Rain starring Martin Sheen and Mischa Barton. Current projects include the Relativity Media drama Desert Dancer starring Frieda Pinto (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Slumdog Millionaire) and the BBC original movie, The Thirteenth Tale, produced by David Heyman (Gravity, Harry Potter) adapted for television by Academy Award-winning writer Christopher Hampton (Atonement), directed by James Kent (The White Queen), and starring Vanessa Redgrave. Projects for 2015 include Sky’s three-part mystery series, The Enfield Haunting, starring Timothy Spall and Matthew Macfadyen, and three films; Devil’s Harvest, directed by George Mendeluk, starring Max Irons and Emilia Fox, Crawlspace and Pressure.
Benjamin was recently invited by Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer to contribute additional music to his score for Steve McQueen’s internationally acclaimed feature 12 Years a Slave.
Wallfisch is also known for orchestrating and conducting Dario Marianelli’s Oscar® and Golden Globe® winning score for Atonement and the Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominated score for Anna Karenina. He has also worked as sole orchestrator on numerous other studio pictures such as Pride and Prejudice (Oscar® nominated, Best Original Score 2006), V for Vendetta, The Soloist, Eat Pray Love and Jane Eyre. He composed additional music for Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood and went on to arrange the music for the acclaimed feature documentary Life in a Day, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Kevin MacDonald. He also composed additional music for The Rite, starring Anthony Hopkins and also for Red Riding Hood, directed by Catherine Hardwicke of the Twilight series.
Benjamin also regularly performs in concert and has conducted orchestras including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony
Orchestra, Philharmonia and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, performing in venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Sydney Opera House and London’s Royal Festival Hall and Barbican. Recent concert music commissions include major new pieces for the LA Chamber Orchestra and London Philharmonic. Classically trained, Benjamin obtained his Masters in composition from the Royal Academy of Music and was recently appointed an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.
CREDITS
FILM DEVIL’S HARVEST Devil’s Harvest Productions Director: George Mendeluk Producers: Chad Barager, Jaye Gazeley, Roman Kindrachuk Starring: Max Irons, Barry Pepper, Samantha Banks, Terence Stamp, Emilia Fox CRAWLSPACE The Safran Company Director: Phil Claydon Producers: Rick Alvarez, Peter Safran Starring: Michael Vartan, Nadine Velazquez PRESSURE Bigscope Films Director: Ron Scalpello Producers: Laurie Cook, Alan McKenna, Jason Newmark Starring: Matthew Goode, Danny Huston 12 YEARS A SLAVE Regency Enterprises / River Road Ents / Plan B / Film 4 (Additional Music) Director: Steve McQueen Producers: Dede Gardiner, Anthony Katagas, Jeremy Kleiner, Arnon Milchan, Brad Pitt, Bill Pohlad Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Dwight Henry, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano, Paul Giamatti, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Chris Chalk THE THIRTEENTH TALE HEYDAY FILMS / BBC Director: James Kent Producers: David Heyman, Norma Heyman Starring: Olivia Coleman, Vanessa Redgrave, Emily Beecham, Antonia Clarke, Alexandra Roach, Steven Mackintosh BHOPAL: A Prayer For Rain Rising Star Ents Director: Ravi Kumar Producers: Ravi Walia Starring: Martin Sheen, Mischa Barton DESERT DANCER Crossday Productions Director: Richard Raymond Producers: Luis Astorquia, Pippa Cross, Izabella Miko Starring: Frida Pinto, Tom Cullen HAMMER OF THE GODS Vertigo Films Director: Farren Blackburn Producers: Rupert Preston, Huberta Von Liel Starring: Charlie Bewley, Clive Standen, James Cosmo ***Nominated for Best Song in a Film, HMMA Awards 2013*** ***2013 WSA Discovery Of The Year Award*** HOURS The Safran Co Director: Eric Heisserer Producers: Peter Safran Starring: Paul Walker, Genesis Rodriguez SUMMER IN FEBRUARY Crossday Productions Director: Chris Menaul Producers: Jeremy Cowdery, Pippa Cross, Janette Day Starring: Dominic Cooper, Dan Stevens, Emily Browning ***WINNER HMMA Award for Best Score – Special Feature Film 2013*** ***Nominated IMFCA for Best Score – Drama Film 2013*** CONQUEST 1453 Aksoy Film Director: Faruk Aksoy Producers: Faruk Aksoy DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE Farenheit films Director: Luisa Pretolani Producers: Vikki Scott, Mark Wolfe Starring: Selma Blair, Richard Dreyfuss ALL THAT WAY FOR LOVE Future Films Director: Henry Mason Producers: Oliver Royds, Giles Skilicorn, Henry R Swindell THE RITE Warner Bros Pictures (Additional Music) Director: Catherine Hardwicke Producers: Janniferm Davison Killoran, Alex Mace, Julie Yorn Composer: Alex Heffes / Brian Reitzell Starring: Anthony Hopkins RED RIDING HOOD New Line Cinema (Additional Music) Director: Mikael Hafstrom Producers: Beau Flynn, Trpp Vinson Composer: Alex Heffes Starring: Amanda Setfried, Gary Oldman, Virginai Madsen, Julie Christie, Max Irons