Ryuichi Sakamoto: “Opus”, the Japanese composer's testamentary film, in cinemas this May – Watch the trailer

After its preview at the 80th Venice International Film Festival and its screening at Piano City Milano, "Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus" - the Japanese composer's testamentary film, directed by Neo Sora - arrives in Italian cinemas as a one-off event. The screening is set for May 19th at 8:30 pm, in a nationwide simultaneous release.

The film documents Ryuichi Sakamoto's final concert, following his death on March 28, 2023, and stands as a synthesis of his entire artistic trajectory. Conceived as a deliberate legacy, it gathers twenty compositions selected and sequenced by the artist himself, tracing a path through every phase of his career: from his early days with Yellow Magic Orchestra to the soundtracks composed for Bernardo Bertolucci, up to his most recent work.

Watch the trailer for "Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus" below.

In his final years, his health no longer allowed him to undertake tours or concerts. Nevertheless, at the end of 2022 Sakamoto decided to record one last definitive performance: a stripped-down concert film built entirely around the dialogue between piano and performer. Shot in Studio 509 at the NHK Broadcast Center, the project was prepared down to the smallest detail, from the setlist to the visual storyboard, with 4K cinematography overseen by director of photography Bill Kirstein.

The result is a work that forgoes any explicit narrative element, relying solely on the music. The pieces, arranged along a timeline that moves from morning to evening, offer a portrait of the artist in silhouette, focused on his physical relationship with the instrument and on the theme of time, central to his artistic vision.

Neo Sora frames his direction in rigorous black and white, building a mise-en-scène that dwells on the relationship between body and sound. The piano becomes an extension of the musician, while the instrument's mechanical details – breaths, vibrations, friction – enter the film's perceptual field.

Distributed in Italy by Nexo Studios and Mescalito Film, in collaboration with Piano City Milano and with the support of media partners Radio Capital and MYmovies, "Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus" will be available for advance booking starting April 16th. The list of participating cinemas will be published on Nexo Studios' official website.

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