Ryuichi Sakamoto's Last Days (2024)
In his final years, Sakamoto listened to recordings of the rain for hours, read books, cried at the sight of hydrangeas, and continued to compose music. In his final days, he listened to his favorite songs, said good-bye to his children, and stated that he had lived a wonderful life.
This is an impossible film to rate because it is a rare portrait of a soul transitioning from life to death, from this world to the unknown mystery that awaits us all. Sakamoto allowed us to bear witness to his most intimate final moments. For that reason, watching this film feels very sacred.
When news came of Sakamoto's passing, I felt deeply devastated, as though I had personally known him. In a way, maybe I did know him through his music, which felt like the expression of his innermost being.
Cherry Blossoms (Kyoko Michishita, 1975)
"Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence" by Ryuichi Sakamoto