Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
Japan
A celebration of an artist's life in the purest sense, Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus is the definitive swan song of the beloved maestro.
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.
Programmer's note: Immensely moving, filmmaker Neo Sora’s personal tribute to his father, Ryuichi Sakamoto, moves through a set list of 20 carefully chosen pieces, covering the composer’s entire career. Without extraneous information, Opus captures the essence of a timeless body-of-work and, stunningly, of a body at work that speaks volumes. With outmost precision and grace, the camera dollies and pans, lingers and tracks, captures – at once respectfully, yet exceptionally close – the specific gestures of this final performance. With an expert sense of when to let takes run their course, breathing patterns go noticed or clanking pedals be heard, Sora’s film operates as both elegy, tribute and meticulous portraiture: perhaps the most intimate of concert films.
—Ariel Esteban Cayer
Gala screening takes place at the Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC, Thursday 19 October at 7.30pm. Doors open from 6.30pm.
Australian 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.
Programmer's note: Immensely moving, filmmaker Neo Sora’s personal tribute to his father, Ryuichi Sakamoto, moves through a set list of 20 carefully chosen pieces, covering the composer’s entire career. Without extraneous information, Opus captures the essence of a timeless body-of-work and, stunningly, of a body at work that speaks volumes. With outmost precision and grace, the camera dollies and pans, lingers and tracks, captures – at once respectfully, yet exceptionally close – the specific gestures of this final performance. With an expert sense of when to let takes run their course, breathing patterns go noticed or clanking pedals be heard, Sora’s film operates as both elegy, tribute and meticulous portraiture: perhaps the most intimate of concert films.
—Ariel Esteban Cayer
Gala screening takes place at the Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC, Thursday 19 October at 7.30pm. Doors open from 6.30pm.
Australian Premiere
Related Sessions
Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus
THU, OCT 19, 7:30 PM
Screen Festival
A celebration of an artist's life in the purest sense, Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus is the definitive swan song of the beloved maestro.
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.
Programmer's note: Immensely moving, filmmaker Neo Sora’s personal tribute to his father, Ryuichi Sakamoto, moves through a set list of 20 carefully chosen pieces, covering the composer’s entire career. Without extraneous information, Opus captures the essence of a timeless body-of-work and, stunningly, of a body at work that speaks volumes. With outmost precision and grace, the camera dollies and pans, lingers and tracks, captures – at once respectfully, yet exceptionally close – the specific gestures of this final performance. With an expert sense of when to let takes run their course, breathing patterns go noticed or clanking pedals be heard, Sora’s film operates as both elegy, tribute and meticulous portraiture: perhaps the most intimate of concert films.
—Ariel Esteban Cayer
Gala screening takes place at the Darling Harbour Theatre, ICC, Thursday 19 October at 7.30pm. Doors open from 6.30pm.
Australian Premiere
