For a man who spent 29 years behind bars for a crime he didn’t commit, Shoji Sakurai remains cheerfully optimistic about the lousy hand of cards life has dealt him.

And even now, facing imminent death after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, Sakurai, 75, is surprisingly upbeat, refusing to dwell on the sorrows that are rightfully his.

Movie director Kim Sung-woong was so taken by his story that he decided to make a documentary to capture the highs and lows of Sakurai’s life.

His film, titled “Ore no Kinenbi” (My anniversary) and themed on the so-called Fukawa murder case that resulted in Sakurai’s imprisonment, will be screened in Tokyo, Osaka, Aichi and other prefectures nationwide from this month.

Sakurai, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer three years ago and won a lawsuit against the state last year for compensation over wrongful incarceration, describes himself as “becoming happy because I was falsely accused.”

In “Ore no Kinenbi,” Sakurai refers to himself as “a singing, talkative falsely charged victim.”

He composed around 200 poems in detention, of which 20 were put to music for “concerts based on an in-prison poetry collection” across Japan. His vocals are as impressive as those of professional singers.

The lyrics of his song, “Anniversary,” on which the movie is titled, start with his recollection of the day he was arrested.

“It was Oct. 10, 1967. The fragrant olive’s aroma was carried by night winds. Handcuffs felt cold when I was put in them for the first time.”

Sakurai was 20 years old when he was arrested with his friend Takao Sugiyama, now deceased, on suspicion of murdering a carpenter in Ibaraki Prefecture during a robbery at his home.

“We were delinquent youths thinking nothing about life or tomorrow,” Sakurai recalled. “But I never killed anyone.”

PARENTS’ DEATHS

Sakurai confessed to the murder under duress and was indicted for the crime despite the lack of physical evidence.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1978. His mother, who believed her son would be found innocent someday, died the previous year. His father died in 1992.

Languishing in Chiba Prison in Chiba Prefecture, Sakurai decided to “lead my life in an optimistic and cheerful fashion while looking for something to have fun with, now that I will not be released no matter if I cry and shout.”

Sakurai threw himself into the daily labor prison routine. At the same time, he used every means at his disposal--letters, poems, haiku and diaries--to reveal the fact he was innocent of any wrongdoing.

He was discharged from prison on parole in November 1996 when he was 49 years old.

By that time, Sakurai was suffering from mental anguish linked to his years-long detention and his initial inability to cope with changes in society that had occurred while he was locked up. But he persevered and worked hard as a construction worker and eventually married.

He filed appeals for a retrial on two occasions. His retrial started in 2005, and Sakurai was handed a not-guilty verdict in 2011.

FILMING SAKURAI’S LIFE

Kim, the movie director, first encountered Sakurai 12 years ago when he was creating “Gokutomo” (Prison friends) to retrace a group of falsely accused people and others who claimed they were innocent of the charges against them.

Kim was intrigued by Sakurai’s personality, characterized by both his natural-born optimism to “entertain others” and his firm determination “not to spoil myself again with untrue words.”

In September 2019, Kim learned that Sakurai was suffering from terminal cancer and rushed to Sakurai’s home with a camera in hand.

Sakurai was told by his doctor that he had only one year to live, but he was apparently unperturbed by the diagnosis.

“It will be amusing if I can be cured,” Sakurai told Kim. “If that does not happen, the developments should be recorded as they are.”

Kim instinctively felt he would be able to illustrate not only the details of Sakurai’s case but also life lessons via filming.

In “Ore no Kinenbi,” Sakurai explains his philosophy. Sakurai, for example, visits Chiba Prison for filming and talks to the camera in front of the facility’s entrance.

“I am currently happy because I was once put into this prison,” Sakurai says. “I can wholly believe in the goodwill of them (my supporters) since I was falsely charged.”

At an autograph session coinciding with the publication of his poetry collection, Sakurai wrote the following message: “Being unfortunate does not mean being unhappy.”

He has come to terms with his fight against rectal carcinoma, saying, “A life filled solely with nice things would prove boring.”

Following a preview of “Ore no Kinenbi” in August, Sakurai acknowledged in his greeting that his “condition is now at the worst level.” But he also said he was not afraid of impending death.

“I worked hard to live through senseless things, finding joy and pleasure in them,” he said. “I pride myself on that, so I do not fear death.”

Kim said he hoped Sakurai’s story will offer hope and inspiration for those who watch the film.

“His tremendous past makes the public more sympathetic to the words of encouragement Sakurai utters for individuals seeking retrials,” Kim said. “I saw hope through filming. I hope audiences will also feel the same.”