In his final interview hours before his murder, John Lennon shared plans to create art until his death, hoping it was a “long, long time” away.

The interview was conducted by RKO Radio with Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, on Dec. 8, 1980, the same day the musician was shot and killed outside of his New York City apartment building. Parts of the interview are in Steven Soderbergh’s new documentary film, John Lennon: The Last Interview, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday, May 15.

At the start of the film, Lennon says in the radio interview, “I consider that my work won’t be finished until I’m dead and buried and I hope that’s a long, long time.” It’s a haunting statement, given that the ex-Beatle had no idea he would be murdered hours later.

Lennon and Ono, 93, had released the album Double Fantasy just weeks earlier, and they granted just one radio interview to promote the record. The chat with RKO’s Dave Sholin and Laurie Kaye took place over three-and-a-half hours at The Dakota.

In the interview, which was edited down for Soderbergh’s new film, Lennon also discusses the death of John F. Kennedy, stating that the reason the president, who was assassinated in November 1963 remains such a symbol of hope is because of his death. The musician also wonders aloud what the late president would have done, had he lived.

At the time of the chat, Lennon had just gotten back to creating new material after a five-year break from music, which he expressed enthusiasm about.

The singer-songwriter describes his return to making art in the interview as “diarrhea of creativity” and says that after time away, songs just came to him. He also cites input from Ono as inspiration and shares plans for the couple to make a second album, and perhaps even a third.

The “Imagine” singer characterizes his wife and collaborator — whom he had married in Gibraltar in 1969, the year before the Beatles announced their split — as his best friend and describes working with her as “a joy.” He also named Ono and fellow Beatle Paul McCartney as the only two people he ever partnered with for more than a brief time, calling himself a pretty good talent scout.

Elsewhere in the late musician’s last chat — which famed filmmaker Soderbergh, 63, sheds light on in the new film — he and Ono open up about their relationship, from its early days to their intimate life, as well as the couple’s family dynamic with son Sean, now 50. The couple does not shy away from the ups and downs, offering insight into their breakup and reconciliation.

The “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” musician describes then-5-year-old Sean as a “twin” and says the then-child taught him to be authentic. He also describes a day in his life with his young son.

Lennon also reflects on being a father to eldest son, Julian, who he welcomed with his first wife, Cynthia Powell. He expresses regrets about not being a present parent to Julian, who was 17 at the time of his father’s murder. Julian is now 63.

Soderbergh previously opened up about the forthcoming documentary — his first since 2010 — with Variety, stating that both Lennon and Ono “were both so free” in the chat included in the film.

“I was surprised at how open and excited they were to talk,” Soderbergh said of the artist couple. “You would think they had never been interviewed before. So I want that to come across to the audience. Everything that they said 45 years ago is not just relevant today. It’s even more relevant in terms of relationships, politics, how we treat each other. How systems work on the individual and above all on the importance of love in our daily life and our world.”