Underrepresented Composers Get a Helping Hand From New Agencies and Databases

When the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released its shortlists in nine categories in February, only one female composer made the cut for best original score — Lolita Ritmanis for “Blizzard of Souls.” Even then, the Emmy-winning composer was considered a long shot.

Ritmanis was up against Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (who landed nominations for “Mank” and “Soul,” the latter alongside Jon Batiste), Terence Blanchard (“Da 5 Bloods”), James Newton Howard (“News of the World”), Alexandre Desplat (“The Midnight Sky”) and Ludwig Göransson (“Tenet”). Only Göransson wasn’t nominated. https://variety.com/2021/artisans/production/composer-agencies-soul-shirley-emma-the-assistant-1234962663/