In the Saoirse Ronan-led drama The Outrun, award-winning composers John Gürtler and Jan Miserre craft a score so deeply immersive that it feels like the closest thing you can get to experiencing the natural elements without stepping outside. The duo creates a beautiful sonic tapestry that delicately drapes Nora Fingscheidt’s festival darling by capturing the wild beauty of Scotland’s picturesque landscapes. Blending harp, strings, flute, and double bass clarinet with modular synthesizers and drones, Gürtler and Miserre’s unique approach to the film score can be enjoyed in its entirety when the soundtrack is released via Decca Records on Friday, September 13th.
A Festival Darling
Based on Amy Liptrot’s memoir of the same name, The Outrun is a raw and honest depiction of addiction and recovery. After a decade away in London, 29-year-old Rona (Saoirse Ronan) returns home to the Scottish Orkney Islands. Sober but lonely, she tries to suppress her memory of the events that set her on this journey of recovery. Slowly the mystical land enters her inner world and – one day at a time – Rona finds hope and strength in herself among the heavy gales and the bracingly cold sea. The film made its World Premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim.
Cinemacy is proud to premiere “The Long Way Home” from The Outrun (Original Soundtrack), below:
The Unique Inspiration Behind the Score
The nearly five-minute-long track starts gently before building into an epic horn and string soliloquy. As if Rona’s suppression of memories finally bursts wide open, the song reaches a fever pitch around the 3:30 mark before settling into a calm resting place. Unlike traditional productions, The Outrun editors and producers didn’t use any temp tracks. This could have easily swayed the composers’ approach to the score. Instead, they booked early recording sessions to develop authentic recordings that guided the film’s musical direction.
Says Gürtler and Miserre of the inspiration behind the score: “During script development, Nora [director] added the idea of Rona [Ronan] conducting the weather, symbolizing Rona reconnecting with herself and the natural world around her. The idea was to maintain the feeling of ecstasy Rona experienced in a London club. But this time standing atop a cliff in the wind, with giant waves crashing around her. At the same time, it was clear that all the mystical tales and harsh realities of Rona’s experience should converge in a forgiving and hopeful manner. The title “The Long Way Home” came to me before this moment was written into the script, but it held up well for this scene.”
About John Gürtler and Jan Miserre
John Gürtler and Jan Miserre are award-winning composers known for their collaborative work in film music. John Gürtler, a London-born, Berlin-based multi-instrumentalist, is recognized for his ability to create diverse and emotionally resonant scores. He received the European Film Award for his work on Nora Fingscheidt’s “System Crasher”. Jan Miserre, from Erlangen, Bavaria, was influenced by his jazz saxophonist father and began playing piano at age four. He studied Jazz Piano at the University of Arts in Berlin. Miserre has received several awards, including the GEMA Musik Author’s Prize for New Talent and the German Documentary Music Award.
Together, Gürtler and Miserre focus on international co-productions, often working on projects from their base in Berlin. Their diverse backgrounds and collaborative energy create compelling scores for film and television, earning them widespread acclaim and numerous awards.
Pre-order the soundtrack here.
