Six months before his death, Sakamoto sat at a Yamaha grand and played a 20-song set spanning Yellow Magic Orchestra, The Last Emperor and The Sheltering Sky, filmed in black and white by his son Neo Sora. The hushed, stripped-down result plays like a private recital, and the Q&A brings in Kogonada, whose own films lean on Sakamoto-like stillness. If you love his music, hearing it on Metrograph's sound system with the people who shot it is the tribute to catch.
What to expect
A 103-minute concert film with no interviews or narration, just Sakamoto, the piano and the room. The post-screening talk runs with cinematographer Bill Kirstein and producer Albert Tholen, moderated by Kogonada.
Good to know
- Metrograph is at 7 Ludlow Street; the F train to East Broadway or the B/D to Grand St are the closest stops.
- The film is quiet and meditative, so arrive before the lights go down.
- Guest screenings at Metrograph often sell out; buy in advance.
- Pairs naturally with Ryuichi Sakamoto: Diaries in the same series.
- Best for Sakamoto listeners and fans of concert films built on silence.
Going? Keep it.
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Common questions
Who moderates the Q&A?
Filmmaker Kogonada.
What music is performed?
A 20-song set ranging from Yellow Magic Orchestra material to his scores for The Last Emperor and The Sheltering Sky.
