From Italy to Hollywood: Joachim and the Apocalypse Brings the Only Italian Film Soundtrack to the Oscars®

December 8, 2025

A soundtrack born from mysticism and vision, carrying Italy’s voice of hope to the Oscars® 2026.

(Isstories Editorial):- Los Angeles, California Dec 8, 2025 (Issuewire.com) – With a total of 12 international awards, including the Global Music Award and a Crystal Pine Award nomination, Joachim and the Apocalypse by Emmy® Award-winning composer Michele Josia stands as a landmark achievement–bringing Italy’s only feature film soundtrack into the Oscars® 2026 race.

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Rome/Los Angeles – The original score of Joachim and the Apocalypse, composed by Emmy® Award-winning composer Michele Josia, is the only soundtrack from an Italian feature film advancing in the race for the Oscars® 2026. As reported by Film Music Reporter, among the 135 scores selected by the Academy, Josia’s composition proudly represents Italy in the Best Original Score category.

Inspired by the mystical theology of Joachim of Fiore, Josia’s music unfolds as a conceptual journey through three spiritual ages – The Age of the Father, The Age of the Son, and The Age of the Spirit. The score blends ancient liturgical textures, cinematic orchestration, and ethereal electronic soundscapes, creating a sonic experience that transcends traditional scoring. “This is not just music for a film–it’s music for an inner apocalypse. Every note is a question. Every pause, a revelation,” says Josia.

The soundtrack has already garnered international acclaim, winning the Gold Medal – Original Score at the Global Music Awards 2024 and earning nominations for the Crystal Pine Award, Septimius Awards, World Entertainment Awards, and the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF).

The film, directed by Jordan River, premiered at the legendary TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood during the Los Angeles Film Festival and is the first Italian production shot entirely in 12K resolution, marking a technical and artistic milestone.

In a moment of extraordinary cultural resonance, Joachim and the Apocalypse was presented to His Holiness Pope Leo XIV in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall, in the presence of international stars including Spike Lee and Cate Blanchett. The Pontiff welcomed the film–dedicated to Joachim of Fiore, prophet of hope–as a sign of cinema’s power to bear witness to beauty, truth, and spiritual renewal: “It comforts me to think that cinema is not just moving pictures: it is putting hope in motion!”.

Josia’s work resonates with the stylistic depth of composers such as Hildur Guðnadóttir, Jonny Greenwood, and Gustavo Santaolalla, artists renowned for their emotional minimalism and conceptual boldness. His score for Joachim and the Apocalypse invites listeners into a contemplative space where sound becomes soul.

Following its premiere, the film was presented in a special screening on December 5, 2025, at the prestigious Dolby Screening Room Hollywood Vine, Los Angeles, attended by Michele Josia and two-time Academy Award® nominee Vittorio Sodano (make-up and special effects designer).

Among the audience were distinguished figures from the international music and film industry: Candace Stewart (EastWest Studio Manager), Keith Munson (EastWest Assistant Studio Manager), Paula Salvatore (Music Consultant Inc.), and Carl Hansen (Prime-Time Emmy® Award-winning Producer). Their presence added further prestige to the event, underscoring the global attention and anticipation surrounding Joachim and the Apocalypse.