Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

SAKAMOTO'S LAST GIFT TO THE WORLD

Pianist. Composer. Co-founder of the band Yellow Magic Orchestra. Record producer. Actor. Yes, Ryuichi Sakamoto certainly managed to play many roles during a life with music as a constant companion. Sadly, Sakamoto passed away from cancer in March 2023. But before his death, he recorded one last performance with his son, filmmaker Neo Sora, for a week. Alone at the piano, Ryuichi Sakamoto plays pieces from his entire monumental career. With precise camerawork and lighting that shows the passage of time from morning to night, Neo Sora and photographer Bill Kirstein capture every nuance of Ryuichi Sakamoto's performances. It becomes an emotional journey through Bafta and Oscar-winning pieces from Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence and The Last Emperor as well as songs from Yellow Magic Orchestra and Sakamoto's more experimental collaborations with Alva Noto. The result is a dazzlingly beautiful and unforgettable concert film that also becomes a biography of the creativity of a true master.

“ A cinematic tribute to an incredible life and a fantastic career ” – Variety
“ A Master’s Farewell ” – Indiewire
“ A final performance to remember forever ” – RogerEbert.com
“ Unique and emotional testament ” – Slant Magazine
“ You feel an immense gratitude that this was captured on film ” – Little White Lies