Gene Back

Gene Back, born in New York and based in Los Angeles, is a film composer and multi-instrumentalist whose recent work spans critically acclaimed films like Randall Park's directorial debut, "Shortcomings," and the powerful biopic "Cabrini," directed by Alejandro Monteverde. Beyond film, Gene most recently produced and co-wrote the song "Dare To Be" with Andrea Bocelli featuring Virginia Bocelli, their first original duet together. He has also collaborated with other internationally renowned artists and bands, ranging from Gotye, Talib Kweli, to The Books. With a background as a classically trained violinist, influenced by a life spent on self-recording and continuously evolving his multi-instrumental craft, his signature playing style is heard on every single film score and composition, whether it's with a full symphonic orchestra, electronic acoustic chamber ensemble, or folk song. His ability to insert his unique voice across genres has also extended to dozens of major advertising campaigns, XR and theater. As the first American composer selected as a BAFTA Breakthrough, Gene is an avid hiker with a deep appreciation for nature and homemade culinary art.

What are Gene Back's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Society.

Genres

Documentary4 titles92^nd

Drama2 titles60^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Self

49%

Society

12%

Morality

12%

Bonds

11%

Power

9%

Ideas

7%

Identity5 Purpose4 Justice2 Ambition2 Community2 Family bonds2 Freedom2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 9 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 0 · Wry 0 · Earnest 9

Serious

Tone · Weight

lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 1 · Dark 3

Grounded

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 8 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 0

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 0

Steady

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 2 · Whiplash 0

Straight-faced

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 6 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 5 · Even-paced 3 · Relentless 1

Casual

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

Casual 5 · Engaged 4 · Full focus 0

Affecting

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 5 · Heavy 2

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

A split, not a type: Resolved 4 · Open-ended 5 · Ambiguous 0

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

6

Contemplative

5

Hopeful

6

Melancholic

3

Triumphant

2

Other

6

How their films linger

Hopeful7 Thought-provoking5 Rousing2 Feel-good2 Bittersweet2

How their films end · 1 with a twist

Happy4
Bittersweet4
Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Gene Back's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 8 of their 10 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (3).

Also on these channels

PBS Documentaries1 title, show their title on PBS Documentaries
Sundance Now1 title, show their title on Sundance Now

Subscription and free streaming for Gene Back's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

15 credits, 10 with a MovieCove page.

BTS: The Return(2026)
Composer
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
The Stringer: The Man Who Took the Photo(2025)
Composer
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films
The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas(2025)
Composer
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Between Goodbyes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)
Composer
Home Court(2024)
Composer
Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Cabrini(2024)
Composer
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Fire Through Dry Grass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)
Composer
Shortcomings(2023)
Composer
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Holler(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films
Summer Animals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Composer
Girls & The Party (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)
Composer
Burning Man: The Musical(2021)
Composer
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
Cowboys(2020)
Composer
Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films
Unnatural Selection(2019)
Show 4 episodes · Composer
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Damon at 86th Street (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)
Composer

Career shape

A full career of 12 titles from 2015 to 2025.

Biggest box office

Cabrini (2024)

$21M worldwide

Highest rated

BTS: The Return (2026)

Midcredits 96^th

By role

only this rolewith another role

Music12 of 12 · 82^nd

By decade

2010s2 · crew2020s10 · crew

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored.

How do Gene Back's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 80^th percentile, the median of all 9; across their 9 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 82^nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

82^ndpercentile

Typical film, the median of 9

Approval · how many liked their films

86^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 9

Reach · how many have seen their films

77^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 9

Midcredits score across 10 titles, by percentile

75^th and up6
50^th to 74^th4

Shape of the crowd

3 of their 10 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

Universally Loved2
Divisive1
Crowd Pleaser3
Broadly Agreed1
Mixed3

Most divisive · composer

The A List: 15 Stories from Asian and Pacific Diasporas (2025)

92^nd percentile spread · 27% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · composer

BTS: The Return (2026)

Midcredits 96^th · 79% liked

Reviewers score the sound and music 62/100 in their films, across 6 reviewed titles; fans 75, detractors 23. The element that speaks to their work as a composer.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Gene Back's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 3 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films

Sex & Nudity3 titlesmedian 27 · mild

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Gene Back work with?

People who share at least 2 of Gene Back's MovieCove titles; Bao Nguyen shares the most, 2.