Karim Sebastian Elias vor einer Oscar-Statue

Academy Membership 2026

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Karim Sebastian Elias invited to join the Academy as one of only eight German film professionals in 2026.

The invitation to become a voting member recognizes his international work across feature films, television, and documentaries.

Earlier this year, Elias composed the original score for the Academy Award®-nominated CUTTING THROUGH ROCKS. He first gained international recognition for his score to OF FATHERS AND SONS, which was also nominated for an Academy Award®. Both films had previously received the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Read the Film University announcement

Press & announcements

AMPAS
Variety
TAGESSPIEGEL
FILM UNIVERSITY
DER SPIEGEL

Karim Sebastian Elias in an interview with Tagesspiegel

Tagesspiegel PotsdamPotsdam film composer joins the Academy

Spot Media announcement about the Academy's new members

Spot MediaNew members of the Academy

New feature film

Adam’s Eight

Theatrical releaseSeptember 17, 2026

Original score by Karim Sebastian Elias

View full poster

Cutting Through Rocks

Sundance Winner 2025 | Shortlist 98th Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature | DGA Award Nomination

“… the choice was made to use Karim Sebastian Elias’s western score, which adds a hint of wistfulness at the few points where it is discreetly brought in.”

Screen Daily (Sundance review)

Protected Men

by Irene von Alberti celebrates its world premiere at the Munich Film Festival

MON, 01. JULY – 18:00 (100 min)
SENDLINGER TOR
After the movie: Q&A with Irene von Alberti and team

TU, 02. JULY – 15:00 (100 min)
CITY 1
After the movie: Q&A with Irene von Alberti

SA, 06. JULY – 18:30 (100 min)
HFF KINO 1
After the movie: Q&A with Irene von Alberti and Karim Sebastian Elias

A biting political satire about power, oppression and gender roles.

Soundtrack on Spotify, iTunes and all streaming portals.

Die Ironie des Lebens

Film song with Corinna Harfouch and Uwe Ochsenknecht

„A woman and a man sit in front of a white grand piano and sing a duet. It could be terribly kitschy if it weren’t for Corinna Harfouch singing – completely unaffected. Uwe Ochsenknecht only has to carefully join in with ‘Halt Dich an Deiner Liebe fest’ by Ton Steine Scherben. It is one of the most beautiful moments in ‘Die Ironie des Lebens’, because during the song, two people who had been far apart move a little closer together again on the piano stool.“

— Walli Müller, NDR Culture

Die Ironie des Lebens

Theatrical release on 5.09.

Song Producer – Karim Sebastian Elias

»Faruk« is part of the Berlinale program

Film score with string quintet of the Staatskapelle Halle

Faruk wins the International Film Critics’ Price, the
FIPRESCI JURY AWARD for Best Film in the Berlinale Panorama section.

The film by Asli Özge is screening in the Panorama section of the 74th Berlinale. The “heart” of the score is a string quintet that was recorded with musicians from the Staatskapelle Halle.

„To be able to create a soundtrack with a string quintet nowadays – without any electronics – was an artistic gift.“

– K.S. Elias

Press reviews

Tagesspiegel and Tip Berlin list Faruk among the most recommended films of this year’s Berlinale program.

The film by Asli Özge is screening in the Panorama section of the 74th Berlinale. The “heart” of the score is a string quintet that was recorded with musicians from the Staatskapelle Halle.

„To be able to create a soundtrack with a string quintet nowadays – without any electronics – was an artistic gift.“

– K.S. Elias

Press reviews

Tagesspiegel and Tip Berlin list Faruk among the most recommended films of this year’s Berlinale program.

Music for the new SWR series »Bad Influencer«

Composition for the new SWR series “Bad Influencer”. Filming has now begun on the production with “Eldorado KaDeWe” star Lia von Blarer. It is the debut series of Lilli Tautfest and Melanie Waelde, who made their promising cinema debut with “Nackte Tiere” in the Encounters competition of the 2020 Berlinale. Tautfest wrote the script for “Bad Influencer” together with Anika Soisson.

Composition for the ZDF VOD series »Die zweite Welle«

„In ‚Die zweite Welle‘ [‘The Second Wave’], I confront my characters with the blind spots in their self-image, forcing them to confront an old guilt – while Karim catches them again and again with his wonderful and sensitive music, carrying them through the story and ensuring that they never lose their dignity.“

— Sarah Schnier
(author, showrunner, creative producer)

In November 2023, “Die Zweite Welle” was the most streamed series in the ZDF video on demand service.

For the soundtrack, I recorded with musicians in Bangkok using traditional Thai instruments and combined them with field recordings and electronic sounds.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Masterclass Film: »All Quiet on the Western Front«

“»All Quiet on the Western Front« could only become a worldwide success through team spirit”

The German anti-war film “All Quiet on the Western Front” (2022) is an international film success. It has won seven BAFTAs (British Academy Film Awards), nine Lolas and four Oscars, among others. “All Quiet on the Western Frontt” is the first German film ever to be nominated in the Best Film category at the Academy Awards. What is the secret behind this unprecedented success?

The new season of “Masterclass” explores this question. In a total of nine episodes, Karim Sebastian Elias speaks with: Edward Berger (director), Volker Bertelmann alias Hauschka (composer), Malte Grunert (production), James Friend (director of photography), Lisy Christl (costume design), Heike Merker (make-up), Frank Petzold (VFX), Frank Kruse (sound) and Christian Goldbeck (production design).

1 2 3 4 5

LINK MASTERCLASS

Karim Sebastian Elias in an interview with trade journal Blickpunkt:Film about the new Masterclass Film series.

Rolling Stone Magazine on the Master Class and talks with the makers of “All Quiet on the Western Front”.

About Masterclass Film

Since 2017, Prof. Karim Sebastian Elias has been offering a unique insight into artistic work, processes, inspiration and challenges, questions of aesthetics, specific techniques or the relationship to the audience, but above all into the wealth of individual creative evaluations and decisions from the initial idea to the final version of award-winning film productions with his Masterclass Film.

The Masterclass Film is a cooperation between the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, ZDFKultur, the German Film Academy and the GEMA Foundation.

Music for the Hape Kerkeling series on RTL+

»Club las Piranjas«

“»Club Las Piranjas« is an entertaining comedy that fortunately doesn’t take itself too seriously. The superbly awful soundtrack (music: Karim Sebastian Elias, original songs: Christian Geller) is reminiscent of a mixture of bad Schlager songs and the soundtrack to the cult computer game “The Sims”. In addition, there is a fantastic ensemble in which Rick Kavanian, Karin Lischka, Isabell Polak and Matthias Lamp (in his last role) shine as discontented vacationers.”

— EXPRESS newspaper

Deutscher Filmpreis 2022

Composition and musical direction

Speaker at the „Zukunftsmusik“ congress

The congress explores the question of which technical, musical and economic developments will determine the future of film and music. Under the motto “How does the future sound?” the program will be rounded off with keynote speeches and a subsequent panel discussion with Marcel Barsotti, Franziska Kollinger and Karim Sebastian Elias.

MORE INFOS (German)

Gala concert with the film music from Ku’damm 63

The Film Music Days go on a cultural search and present the musical diversity of European countries and cultures in this year’s gala concert of the 14th Film Music Days. About Mikis Theodorakis (Greece) from Björk (Iceland) to Karim Sebastian Elias (Germany – Ku’damm 63) we play European film music.

MORE INFOS (German)

Music for German Film Award

Composition and direction of the Lola Show Band

“[…] And indeed, the show, which was created under the artistic direction of Nico Hofmann and composer and Academy member Karim Sebastian Elias, was an aesthetic and musical firework with numerous powerful musical elements. In addition, new stage lighting and visual design, as well as the new composition of all musical themes, performed by the Lola Band, provided a whole new look to our event. Thank you Nico, thank you Karim, and thank you to everyone on the team for your dedication.”

German Film Academy

Nomination German Television Award

for the score to Ku’damm 63

Category: Best Music Fiction

„In keeping with the dawn of a new era and the great emotions and dramas of everyday life, composer Karim Sebastian Elias designed the music for “Ku’damm 63” in symphonic opulence. This powerful soundtrack between tradition and modernity is performed by the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt.“

Jury statement for the nomination

Press comments (Links in german)

The last execution

Premiere at the Munich Film Festival

Screening July 4th and 5th 2021

Grade: especially valuable

“[…] The sepia-toned images create an oppressive atmosphere, and the musical score by Sebastian Karim Elias maintains a good balance between drama and subtly menacing mood. […]”

German Film and Media Review. FBW

Ku’damm 63

“What is the sound of 1963? We have embarked on this journey. With the songs of that time, and in our film music. Karim Sebastain Elias has given it the sound of the early 60s. Swinging and modern, his wonderful compositions take us to West Berlin 1963, and now let us dive into the emotional world of the Schöllack family with the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt.”

Sabine Bernardi, director of Ku’damm 63

MORE INFOS (German)

„Without curiosity I would be dead already“

Karim Sebastian Elias in interview with the Tagesspiegel and the Märkische Oderzeitung (MOZ) about his work on the soundtrack for Ku’damm 63.

INTERVIEW TAGESSPIEGEL (German)

INTERVIEW MOZ (German)

Successful soundtrack

reached #2 in the Amazon Music Charts, category Soundtracks

OF FATHERS AND SONS

MORE THAN 30 AWARDS, MORE THAN 100 FESTIVALS

OF FATHERS AND SONS nominated for the Oscar “Best Documentary Feature”

MORE INFOS

OF FATHERS AND SONS wins “World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize”
at Sundance Filmfestival 2018

MORE INFOS

“… K.S. Elias‘ electronica-dominated score sounds warning notes of downbeat dread.”

MORE INFOS

The “Of Fathers and Sons“ original soundtrack
will be digitally available from February 8th 2019

LISTEN

Nomination German Music Authors’ Prize 2020/2021

MORE INFOS (in German)

Nomination Baden-Baden TV Film Festival

9 Tage wach

FESTIVAL WEBSITE (in German)

Press:

„[…] Apart from that, the film attracts with its richness in contrasts – in terms of content, as well as visually and acoustically: here the intimate love scenes, there the ugly separation; here the emotional moments in the drama school, there the drug excesses; here the classics of pop and rock history (Moody Blues, Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane), which are used very consciously and with concrete reference to the plot, there industrial techno, both connected through the film score by Karim Sebastian Elias. Particularly interesting is a scene with the main characters and mixed musical themes: “Nights In White Satin” by the Moody Blues sounds in Eric’s world, while the Eurythmics hit “Sweet Dreams” plays on Anja’s stage.”

Original soundtrack available on Spotify

LISTEN

Saudi Runaway

in competition at the European Film Awards

Nomination – European Documentary

Winner – European University Film Award

MORE INFOS

„The music score unfolds with a gorgeous ache, and the film ends with the sound of a voice,
delivering a simple but deeply affecting message.“

FULL ARTICLE

In February 2021, worldwide rights were acquired by National Geographic Documentary Films.

The film celebrated its world premiere in February 2020 at Sundance Film Festival and was screened in the section World Cinema Documentary Competition. At the Panorama Audience Award of the Berlinale 2020 the film won the 2. price in the category Panorama Documents. Saudi Runaway was also nominated for the Amnesty Film Award 2020. In the same year, the film was nominated for Best Documentary at the European Film Awards and won the European University Film Award.

A Tunnel

World premiere at IDFA Competition 2019

Festivals & Awards

IDFA
Bridges – East of West Film Days, Bozar
One World
Tempo Documentary Film Festival
DocuDays UA
DOK.Fest Munich
Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival
Pelicam, International Film Festival, Romania
Beldocs, International Documentary Film Festival, Serbia
CineDoc-Tbilisi, Georgia
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival, Germany
Architecture Film Festival, Rotterdam
Cinemed, Festival Cinema Montpellier, France
Inconvenient Films Documentary Festival, Lithuania
UnderhillFest, Montenegro Best Documentary – International Competition
MakeDox Festival, North Macedonia Young Onion Award
Trento Film Festival, Italy Grand Prix

LABAULE & ERBEN

„… And all this with an impressive soundtrack that can tell the story alone.“

– Der Tagesspiegel

… more than 1 million streams on Germany`s public-service broadcasting station

STREAMING ON NETFLIX

LISTEN TO THE SOUNDTRACK…

LISTEN

Dunkelstadt

Score for the crime series

streaming on ZDFneo and Netflix

LINK ZDF

LINK NETFLIX

Interview with film music composer and university professor K.S. Elias:

“Film music has always been a very formative part of filmmaking”

ORIGINAL ARTICLE (German)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

“Film music composer Sebastian Elias was once a Folkwang student.
He talks about artistic ambition, success, and what else is important in life”

Interview with WAZ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung)

ORIGINAL ARTICLE (German)

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Vita

International awarded film scoring composer K.S. Elias composed the music for more than 100 movies, television movies, documentations
and 400 television episodes. From orchestra to contemporary: Elektro, Hip-Hop, Dance, Pop, Rock, Elektroswing.

GO TO VITA

Press

Of Fathers and Sons

“… K.S. Elias‘ electronica-dominated score sounds warning notes of downbeat dread.”

Neil YoungThe Hollywood Reporter

In Heaven, Underground

»In Heaven, Underground« captures the aura of the Weissensee in its many layers.
The sense of place may be expected, but it’s also poetic and exquisite.

DAVID DeWITTThe New York Times

IN HEAVEN, UNDERGROUND

„At no point is this documentary long-winded, nowhere dreary and rigid. Not least because of the music by Karim Sebastian Elias:
Slightly melancholic and very lively, it accompanies the images, just as children’s pranks could be underscored.“

Der Spiegel

In Heaven, Underground

“It’s the original score by Karim Sebastian Elias that sets so much of the film’s tone in critical scenes. With segments that range from mischievous to mournful, from merry to melancholy, Elias’s music does such a splendid job of showcasing Weissensee’s history and natural beauty that viewers may be shocked to find themselves laughing and smiling throughout a documentary about the final resting place of so many European Jews.”

George HeymontThe Huffington Post

„Film music has always been a very formative part of filmmaking“

Rolling Stone interview with K.S. Elias

IN HEAVEN, UNDERGROUND

„Wauer’s technique is creative without being arty, using a 3D computer effect to enhance the still photos
and employing a charming original score by Karim Sebastian Elias.“

Film Journal International

BELLA BLOCK – WEISSE NÄCHTE

„You can hardly ask TV viewers to close their eyes during a movie. Although sometimes it would be worth it. For example, for a new episode of the ZDF crime series Bella Block, composer Karim Sebastian Elias has managed to support a story in which emotions play a major role
– and it’s emphatically not »sound sauce«.“

Süddeutsche Zeitung

IM HIMMEL, UNTER DER ERDE

„Only the film music is not playing on this February morning. It is enchanting and sweet, sometimes heavy with mourning and remembrance, sometimes dancing like a waltz with strings. In Britta Wauer’s documentary film »In Heaven, Underground« about the Jewish cemetery Weißensee, which premieres on Sunday at the Berlinale, there is more music than cemetery silence. It reverberates in the heart and travels from one grave to the next.“

Der Tagesspiegel

ALL PRESSCOMMENTS

Awards

German Movie Award, German Television Award, Bavarian Movie Award,
German Critics Association Award, Panorama Award for Berlinale 61. and more…

GO TO AWARDS

Film scoring – overview of works

Click on the poster to open soundtrack and details. You may request the password HERE.

Recent Projects

More Film Scores

Teaching

Since 2013 K.S. Elias teaches as professor for Composition and Arrangement for Media
in the master program Film Music at the Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF

PROFILE FILM UNIVERSITY

Masterclasses

Film University professor Karim Sebastian Elias talks to nominated film composers about their compositions nominated for the German Film Award – about their compositional approach, the challenges of composing music for a feature film and their collaboration with their teams, with their directors, producers and editors.

The Filmuniversität Babelsberg and the Deutsche Filmakademie with its knowledge portal vierundzwanzig.de, with the support of the GEMA Foundation and the Franz Grothe Foundation, have jointly launched a digital and non-commercial explanatory video series. In interviews with the nominated film composers, this series aims to present the path from the musical idea to the finished film composition in a methodical way. The series was established by K.S. Elias, who is also responsible as producer and host.

The result is an exciting 30 to 40-minute film-musical “educational program”, which on the one hand can help to sharpen the viewer’s sensitivity for film and its original qualities. On the other hand, it gives film students and filmmakers the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the aesthetics of film using the example of film music.

MASTERCLASS FILM UNIVERSITY

DEUTSCHE FILMAKADEMIE

Since December 22, 2020, the Masterclass Film is also being distributed by german public television broadcaster ZDF via their online platform ZDFkultur.

ZDF WEBSITE

Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

Adam’s Eight

Cutting Through Rocks

Sundance Winner 2025 | Shortlist 98th Academy Awards Best Documentary Feature | DGA Award Nomination

Protected Men

by Irene von Alberti celebrates its world premiere at the Munich Film Festival

Die Ironie des Lebens

Film song with Corinna Harfouch and Uwe Ochsenknecht

Die Ironie des Lebens

Theatrical release on 5.09.

Song Producer – Karim Sebastian Elias

»Faruk« is part of the Berlinale program

Film score with string quintet of the Staatskapelle Halle

Press reviews

Press reviews

Music for the new SWR series »Bad Influencer«

Composition for the ZDF VOD series »Die zweite Welle«

Masterclass Film: »All Quiet on the Western Front«

About Masterclass Film

Music for the Hape Kerkeling series on RTL+

»Club las Piranjas«

Deutscher Filmpreis 2022

Composition and musical direction

Speaker at the „Zukunftsmusik“ congress

Gala concert with the film music from Ku’damm 63

Music for German Film Award

Composition and direction of the Lola Show Band

Nomination German Television Award

for the score to Ku’damm 63

Category: Best Music Fiction

Press comments (Links in german)

The last execution

Premiere at the Munich Film Festival

Grade: especially valuable

Ku’damm 63

Successful soundtrack

OF FATHERS AND SONS

MORE THAN 30 AWARDS, MORE THAN 100 FESTIVALS

OF FATHERS AND SONS nominated for the Oscar “Best Documentary Feature”

OF FATHERS AND SONS wins “World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize” at Sundance Filmfestival 2018

“… K.S. Elias‘ electronica-dominated score sounds warning notes of downbeat dread.”

The “Of Fathers and Sons“ original soundtrack will be digitally available from February 8th 2019

Nomination German Music Authors’ Prize 2020/2021

Nomination Baden-Baden TV Film Festival

9 Tage wach

Press:

Original soundtrack available on Spotify

Saudi Runaway

in competition at the European Film Awards

Nomination – European Documentary

Winner – European University Film Award

„The music score unfolds with a gorgeous ache, and the film ends with the sound of a voice, delivering a simple but deeply affecting message.“

A Tunnel

World premiere at IDFA Competition 2019

Festivals & Awards

LABAULE & ERBEN

„… And all this with an impressive soundtrack that can tell the story alone.“

… more than 1 million streams on Germany`s public-service broadcasting station

LISTEN TO THE SOUNDTRACK…

Dunkelstadt

Score for the crime series

streaming on ZDFneo and Netflix

Interview with film music composer and university professor K.S. Elias:

“Film music has always been a very formative part of filmmaking”

“Film music composer Sebastian Elias was once a Folkwang student. He talks about artistic ambition, success, and what else is important in life”

Interview with WAZ (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung)

Vita

Press

Of Fathers and Sons

In Heaven, Underground

IN HEAVEN, UNDERGROUND

In Heaven, Underground

IN HEAVEN, UNDERGROUND

BELLA BLOCK – WEISSE NÄCHTE

IM HIMMEL, UNTER DER ERDE

Awards

Film scoring – overview of works

Recent Projects

More Film Scores

Teaching

OF FATHERS AND SONS wins “World Cinema Documentary Grand Jury Prize”
at Sundance Filmfestival 2018

The “Of Fathers and Sons“ original soundtrack
will be digitally available from February 8th 2019

„The music score unfolds with a gorgeous ache, and the film ends with the sound of a voice,
delivering a simple but deeply affecting message.“

“Film music composer Sebastian Elias was once a Folkwang student.
He talks about artistic ambition, success, and what else is important in life”