The swan song of a beloved maestro; a crystal clear encounter with a genius. The legendary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto lost his battle with cancer on 28 March 2023. In the years leading up to his death, the Academy Award-winner for Best Original Score for The Last Emperor no longer had the strength to perform live, yet, in late 2022, he mustered all his energy to leave behind one final performance: a concert film, featuring just him and his piano. The twenty pieces chosen by him, reflecting an artistic career spanning half a century, wordlessly narrate his life through his music: From the period when he co-founded the electropop legend Yellow Magic Orchestra, and his stunning scores for Bertolucci’s films, to his meditative final album, 12.
Karel Och
103 min / Black & white, DCP
Director Neo Sora
/ Dir. of Photography Bill Kirstein
/ Music Ryuichi Sakamoto
/ Sound ZAK at st-robo
/ Editor Takuya Kawakami
/ Producer Norika Sora, Albert Tholen, Aiko Masubuchi, Eric Nyari
/ Production KAB Inc.
/ Sales Film Constellation Ltd.
Neo Sora (New York City). Selected filmography: The Chicken (2020, short), Sugar Glass Bottle (2022, short), Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus (Ryuichi Sakamoto: Opus, 2023, doc.).
Film Constellation Ltd.
124 City Road, EC1V 2NX, London
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 7900 992 088
E-mail: [email protected]
First-hand brews throughout the year.
Be among the first to learn about upcoming events and other news. We only send the newsletter when we have something to say.
