Movies
Stephen Nomura Schible
Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda
2017 Japan, USA
102 min •
Japanese, English subtitle
K7
Theme: Rokumentti selection
18.11.2017 | Time: 14.00 |
Venue: Tapio 4
*sold out*
A gorgeous film about magnificent melodies
Coda is an intimate biopic of Japanese actor and musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. In the Western countries he is perhaps best known for his film scores. Sakamoto’s wide range of work includes scores for films such as Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Last Emperor, for which Sakamoto won an Oscar, and The Revenant.
Sakamoto rose to fame in the late 1970s as a founding member of a Japanese electro pop band Yellow Magic Orchestra, or Y.M.O. for short. The band was ahead of its time as they applied drum machines, digital recording technology and video game soundscapes to their music, paving the way for the 80s. In addition to his career in music, Sakamoto is also an environmental activist who has openly opposed nuclear power, especially since the Fukushima accident. Sakamoto’s compositions and musical themes are influenced by his love for nature and its sounds.
Coda was filmed during a five-year period and it premiered recently at the Venice Film Festival. One of the focal themes of this beautiful film is Sakamoto’s personal battle with throat cancer. The humble composer faces the situation in a composed manner. His goal is to leave as much music as he can for the younger generations – music he can be proud of.
