Ryuichi Sakamoto | Opus

“Ars longa, vita brevis” – art is long, life is short.

This is one of Japanese music icon Ryuichi Sakamoto’s favorite quotes, and the message that he leaves for viewers at the end of his final concert film, shot before he succumbed to cancer in March 2023. Consisting of only Sakamoto and his piano, Opus features the final live performances of 20 songs that Sakamoto meticulously curated to encapsulate his distinguished 40-year career. Director Neo Sora captures the maestro’s final gift to his fans in stark black-and-white, creating a moving celebration of Sakamoto’s music and an elegy that is intimate and wistful. Opus is more than just essential viewing for fans; it’s a solemn and poetic musical experience that must be seen in a cinema.