Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

26th TIDF: Greek Premiere
On March 28th, 2023, legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away after his struggle against cancer. In the years leading up to his death, Sakamoto could no longer perform live. Single concerts, not to mention sprawling global tours, were too taxing. Despite this, in late 2022, Sakamoto mustered all of his energy to leave the world with one final performance: a concert film, featuring just him and his piano. Curated by Sakamoto himself and presented in his chosen order, the twenty pieces performed in the film wordlessly narrate his life through his music. The selection spans his entire career, from his popstar Yellow Magic Orchestra period to his magnificent Bertolucci film scores, to music from his meditative final album 12. Intimately filmed in a space he knew well, surrounded by his most trusted collaborators, Sakamoto bares his soul through his music, knowing this may be the last time that he can present his art. A celebration of an artist’s life in the purest sense, this immersive film experience is the definitive swan song of the beloved maestro.
Screening Schedule

No physical screenings scheduled.

Direction: Neo Sora
Cinematography: Bill Kirstein
Editing: Takuya Kawakami
Sound: ZAK
Music: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Actors: Ryuichi Sakamoto
Production: KAB America Inc
Producers: Norika Sora, Albert Tholen, Aiko Masubuchi, Eric Nyari
Executive producer: Jeremy Thomas
Format: DCP
Color: B&W
Production Country: Japan
Production Year: 2023
Duration: 103'
Contact: Film Constellation

Neo Sora

Raised in New York and Tokyo, Neo Sora is a filmmaker, artist, and translator living between the two cities. He directed the feature-length concert film Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (2023), which premiered in Venice. He is the director and writer of the short films The Chicken (Locarno 2020) and Sugar Glass Bottle (Indie Memphis 2022, Best Narrative Short), and he was named one of Filmmaker Magazine’s 25 New Faces of Independent Film in 2021. Happyend is his debut fiction feature as a writer/director.

Filmography

2020 The Chicken (short)
2021 Ainu Neno an Ainu (doc)
2022 Sugar Glass Bottle (short)
2023 Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus (doc)
2024 Happyend