Hong Kong composer, Peter Kam, won the Silver Bear award for his score of the film Isabella at the 56th Berlin Film Festival which ended on Saturday. 

Mr. Kam told Hong Kong media on Sunday that his win was completely unexpected and he was hugely excited about the award.

In a telephone interview with a Hong Kong radio station Mr Kam explained the story of Isabella was set in Macao. So when composing the film music he added recognizable Portuguese sounds. This made the score different from the music accompanying many other Hong Kong-made movies.

He thanked film director Peter Chan Ho Sun for getting him involved in the project and also made mention of his own composing abilities. Mr Kam said he hoped international film producers would give local musicians more opportunities to compose for Hong Kong-related movies.

In recent times, Mr Kam (44), who studied music in the United States, has won several Hong Kong Film Awards. His music for the films Fly Me to Polaris and Lost in Time won the Best Original Film Score at the 19th and 23rd Hong Kong Film Awards. His music for the film Perhaps Love won a nomination for the Best Original Film Score and Best Original Film Song of the 25th Hong Kong Film Awards, details of which will be unveiled soon.

Isabella tells the story of the reunion of a Macao police officer with his lost daughter. A film focusing on Bosnia's post-war trauma won top prize -- the Golden Bear for the best film -- at the  Festival. 

(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2006)