The World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent has restructured its Film Music Days to run concurrently with the parent Film Fest Ghent (8–10 October) rather than after it, aiming to foster greater collaboration between filmmakers and composers. This shift addresses a significant industry challenge: directors and composers often struggle to communicate effectively about musical vision, each speaking a different creative language. The reorganisation reflects input from WSA members and represents a fundamental reimagining of Ghent's role as a film music incubator and networking hub.

The expanded programme features conversations between established director-composer partnerships, including Belgian filmmaker Lukas Dhont and composer Valentin Hadjadj (for the Oscar-submission "Coward"), and Edward Berger with two-time WSA Film Composer of the Year Volker Bertelmann. Complementing these sessions are matchmaking workshops and the Third Character market, which pairs composers with producers and directors developing new projects. The initiative builds on a proven track record: composer Valentin Hadjadj and Lukas Dhont first met at a Third Character session in 2013, whilst director Jacqueline Lentzou and composer Colin Stetson met on Ghent's 2023 jury and subsequently created the Venice Horizons prize-winner "A Day in the Life of Jo: Chapter Phaedra". WSA organisers also note that whilst producers increasingly raise artificial intelligence concerns, the festival aims to champion human composers within the industry.