Philippe Rombi
Function:
Composer
WSAcademy:
WSA Voting Member
Philippe Rombi grew up in the Southwest of France in a musical family. His brother’s record collection introduced him to the magic of film scores. His passion for music brought him to the Conservatoire National de Région in Marseille where he studied piano, harmony and conducting with Léa Roussel and Pierre Barbizet. After completing his studies in Marseille, Rombi enrolled in the Ecole Normale Supérieure de Musique (ENMP) in Paris where he studied composition. A partnership between ENMP and La Fémis film school was established by Rombi’s teacher, French film composer Antoine Duhamel. It was through this partnership that Rombi made his first film scores for student films by - among others - Isabelle Broué.
These early compositions were the basis of a very fruitful collaboration between Philippe Rombi and director François Ozon. Their partnership began in 1999 with the film Les amants criminels and led to twelve more films. The symphonic work of Rombi blends perfectly with the ambiguity of Ozon’s characters as his scores find the balance between modesty and fantasy. He composed the scores for Les amants criminels (1999), Sous le sable (2000), Swimming Pool (2003), 5x2 (2004), Angel (2007), Ricky (2009), Potiche (2010), Dans la maison (2012), Jeune et jolie (2013), Une nouvelle amie (2014), Frantz (2016), L’amant double (2017) and Mon crime (2023). His work with other directors is equally noteworthy. His first public successes were the result of his work with director Christian Carion, Une hirondelle a fait le printemps (2001) and Joyeux Noël (2005), for which he earned his first César nomination. In 2005 Philippe Rombi attended the 32nd edition of Film Fest Gent where Joyeux Noël opened the festival. His arrangement of Schubert’s “An die Musik” for Agnès Jaoui’s Comme une image (2004) was later used in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Dany Boon called upon Philippe Rombi for his hugely successful comedies Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (2008) and Rien à déclarer (2011). In recent years Christophe Barratier employed the talent of Rombi for his films La nouvelle guerre des boutons (2011) and Le temps des secrets (2022).
With over 50 credits to his name, Philippe Rombi has become an established name in the French film and music industry. His most recent works include the psychological thriller Visions (2023), the crime comedy Mon crime and the biopic about French playwright Marcel Pagnol, Le temps des secrets. His work has been lauded and nominated for numerous awards including the César Award for Best Original Music (Joyeux Noël, Dans la maison, Frantz and Boîte noire) and the IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Drama (Angel, Le temps des secrets) and Best Original Score for a Comedy (Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, Potiche and Mon Crime).
As well as composing, Philippe Rombi often conducts the orchestra himself during recording sessions. In 2014 Rombi conducted the Brussels Philharmonic for the recording of his score for Astérix et Obélix: le domaine des dieux. Between film projects, Rombi also composes concert works, such as the symphonic poem Symphonic Hymn for Harmony commissioned by China for the Olympic Games in 2008.
These early compositions were the basis of a very fruitful collaboration between Philippe Rombi and director François Ozon. Their partnership began in 1999 with the film Les amants criminels and led to twelve more films. The symphonic work of Rombi blends perfectly with the ambiguity of Ozon’s characters as his scores find the balance between modesty and fantasy. He composed the scores for Les amants criminels (1999), Sous le sable (2000), Swimming Pool (2003), 5x2 (2004), Angel (2007), Ricky (2009), Potiche (2010), Dans la maison (2012), Jeune et jolie (2013), Une nouvelle amie (2014), Frantz (2016), L’amant double (2017) and Mon crime (2023). His work with other directors is equally noteworthy. His first public successes were the result of his work with director Christian Carion, Une hirondelle a fait le printemps (2001) and Joyeux Noël (2005), for which he earned his first César nomination. In 2005 Philippe Rombi attended the 32nd edition of Film Fest Gent where Joyeux Noël opened the festival. His arrangement of Schubert’s “An die Musik” for Agnès Jaoui’s Comme une image (2004) was later used in Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom (2012). Dany Boon called upon Philippe Rombi for his hugely successful comedies Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis (2008) and Rien à déclarer (2011). In recent years Christophe Barratier employed the talent of Rombi for his films La nouvelle guerre des boutons (2011) and Le temps des secrets (2022).
With over 50 credits to his name, Philippe Rombi has become an established name in the French film and music industry. His most recent works include the psychological thriller Visions (2023), the crime comedy Mon crime and the biopic about French playwright Marcel Pagnol, Le temps des secrets. His work has been lauded and nominated for numerous awards including the César Award for Best Original Music (Joyeux Noël, Dans la maison, Frantz and Boîte noire) and the IFMCA Award for Best Original Score for a Drama (Angel, Le temps des secrets) and Best Original Score for a Comedy (Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, Potiche and Mon Crime).
As well as composing, Philippe Rombi often conducts the orchestra himself during recording sessions. In 2014 Rombi conducted the Brussels Philharmonic for the recording of his score for Astérix et Obélix: le domaine des dieux. Between film projects, Rombi also composes concert works, such as the symphonic poem Symphonic Hymn for Harmony commissioned by China for the Olympic Games in 2008.