Composer with Thiruvalla roots wins double honours at World Film Festival in Cannes

At 22, Keziah Thomas is celebrating a debut most young composers can only dream of. Her score for the animated short film 'Milo' won Best Composer of the Future and Best Soundtrack at the World Film Festival in Cannes – Remember the Future 2026, placing the Thiruvalla-born composer on an international stage at the very beginning of her career.

Keziah admits she had to read the announcement more than once before it truly sank in. What stayed with her, however, was less the surprise of winning than the reassurance that came with it.

"As a composer, you spend so much time working behind the scenes, and a lot of the process involves experimentation and constantly refining your work. You never really know how your music will be received until it's out in the world. So it was incredibly encouraging, not just because of the award itself, but because it reaffirmed why I love doing this," Keziah told Onmanorama.

Born in Thiruvalla and raised in Bengaluru, Keziah discovered music long before she imagined it would become a profession.

"My journey into composing began when I was seven years old," she says. "I started creating simple melodies on the piano, and at the time, I had no idea it would eventually become my career. I was simply exploring, experimenting and having fun."

By 14, she knew music was what she wanted to pursue professionally. For a start, she completed a diploma in Audio Engineering alongside Classes 11 and 12, choosing homeschooling so she could balance academics with technical training. The decision eventually led her to Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she is now in her final semester pursuing a degree in Film and Media Scoring with a minor in Contemporary Conducting.

The journey, she says, would have looked very different without the support of her family. Her mother, originally from Thiruvalla, is an architect and interior designer, while her father, from Thrissur, is a corporate trainer. Both run their own businesses.

Before 'Milo', Keziah had already composed for several documentaries, narrative shorts and animated films, each project helping refine her craft. The opportunity to score 'Milo' came after director Dillon Sharp discovered her work at an event and later reached out.

"We had a conversation about the film, his vision for it and the emotional direction he wanted to take," she recalls. "I connected with the story and his ideas, so I said yes to the project."

What followed became one of the most rewarding collaborations of her career. "From our very first conversations, there was a lot of trust and freedom, which let me explore and experiment with my ideas to serve the story. It was a very rewarding process."

For Keziah, 'Milo' is only one chapter in a much longer journey.
"I think this recognition is really the result of years of learning, collaborating and continuously refining my craft," she says. "Every film, every piece of feedback and every collaboration has shaped me into the composer I am today. The awards for 'Milo' are incredibly meaningful, but to me they're also a reminder that every project, big or small, is an opportunity to grow and tell a story through my music."

The recognition has also brought new opportunities, introducing her work to filmmakers she hopes to collaborate with in the future. Yet, she insists it hasn't changed the way she approaches her craft.

Film scores continue to shape her own musical sensibilities, with composers such as Hans Zimmer, Ramin Djawadi, Ludwig Goransson, Theodore Shapiro and Cristobal Tapia de Veer among the artists she admires. Away from composing, she enjoys painting, swimming, playing board games and watching films, interests that allow her to return to music "with a clearer, more refreshed mindset."

After graduating from Berklee, Keziah will move to Los Angeles to join Bear McCreary's production company, Sparks & Shadows, as an intern. Beyond that, she is content to let the music lead the way. "I hope to continue collaborating with talented filmmakers and telling meaningful stories through music," she says. "I have nothing set in stone, but I am excited to see where life takes me."