Rodriguez, the subject of the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has passed away at the age of 81. The news of Rodriguez’s death was announced on the official webpage and on Facebook with the following message: “It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family. Rodriguez was 81 years old. May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace.”
Rodriguez – whose full name was Sixto Diaz Rodriguez – may have been most famous at one point for being practically untraceable outside of the mainstream. Indeed, the hunt led by two die-hard fans (Stephen “Sugar” Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom) inspired the aforementioned Searching for Sugar Man which renewed interest in the music career of Rodriguez.
In his career, Rodriguez only recorded two albums, with...
Rodriguez – whose full name was Sixto Diaz Rodriguez – may have been most famous at one point for being practically untraceable outside of the mainstream. Indeed, the hunt led by two die-hard fans (Stephen “Sugar” Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom) inspired the aforementioned Searching for Sugar Man which renewed interest in the music career of Rodriguez.
In his career, Rodriguez only recorded two albums, with...
- 8/9/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, the Detroit-born singer-songwriter who found cult success in South Africa and Australia before becoming the subject of the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died. He was 81.
The musician, known professionally as Rodriguez, died Wednesday, it was announced on his official website. No cause of death was revealed.
The note on his website continued: “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters — Sandra, Eva and Regan — and to all his family. May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace.”
Rodriguez garnered more widespread recognition in the U.S. later in his career, following the release of Searching for Sugar Man. The doc, directed by Malik Bendjelloul, traced the folk musician’s journey from near obscurity to international cult success after his first two albums — which he recorded in Detroit in the early 1970s — struggled to sell.
The film received the 2013 Academy Award for best documentary feature,...
The musician, known professionally as Rodriguez, died Wednesday, it was announced on his official website. No cause of death was revealed.
The note on his website continued: “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters — Sandra, Eva and Regan — and to all his family. May His Dear Soul Rest In Peace.”
Rodriguez garnered more widespread recognition in the U.S. later in his career, following the release of Searching for Sugar Man. The doc, directed by Malik Bendjelloul, traced the folk musician’s journey from near obscurity to international cult success after his first two albums — which he recorded in Detroit in the early 1970s — struggled to sell.
The film received the 2013 Academy Award for best documentary feature,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sixto Rodriguez, the Detroit musician who found surprise success in South Africa and became the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died at the age of 81.
The news was announced in a statement from his official website, which reads, “It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters — Sandra, Eva and Regan — and to all his family.”
Though Rodriguez’s cause of death is unknown, The Detroit News reports he had been in declining health.
Born July 10th, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan as the sixth child of a Mexican father and Native American mother, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez began his music career in 1967 under the name Rod Riguez. Three years later, he signed with Sussex Records and began recording under the name Rodriguez. Following two albums, Cold Fact and Coming from Reality,...
The news was announced in a statement from his official website, which reads, “It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today. We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters — Sandra, Eva and Regan — and to all his family.”
Though Rodriguez’s cause of death is unknown, The Detroit News reports he had been in declining health.
Born July 10th, 1942 in Detroit, Michigan as the sixth child of a Mexican father and Native American mother, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez began his music career in 1967 under the name Rod Riguez. Three years later, he signed with Sussex Records and began recording under the name Rodriguez. Following two albums, Cold Fact and Coming from Reality,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Music
Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, the Detroit singer-songwriter better known simply as Rodriguez whose seeming disappearance after a brief flirtation with musical success in the early 1970s was the subject of the Oscar-winning 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died today. He was 81.
His death was announced on his official website.
“It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” the statement reads. “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family.”
A singer-songwriter heavily influenced by Bob Dylan and other 1960s-’70s confessional folk musicians, Rodriguez seemed poise for success, or at least a sustainable career in music, when his 1970 debut album Cold Fact was released on the Los Angeles indie label Sussex Records. Already familiar in the Detroit area for his club and barroom performances, Rodriguez was hailed by some as the next Dylan.
His death was announced on his official website.
“It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” the statement reads. “We extend our most heartfelt condolences to his daughters – Sandra, Eva and Regan – and to all his family.”
A singer-songwriter heavily influenced by Bob Dylan and other 1960s-’70s confessional folk musicians, Rodriguez seemed poise for success, or at least a sustainable career in music, when his 1970 debut album Cold Fact was released on the Los Angeles indie label Sussex Records. Already familiar in the Detroit area for his club and barroom performances, Rodriguez was hailed by some as the next Dylan.
- 8/9/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Sixto Rodriguez, the Mexican-American singer-songwriter who languished in obscurity for decades before his brilliant music was rediscovered and chronicled in the 2012 Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Tuesday. He was 81.
Rodriguez’s death was announced Wednesday on his official website. “It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” the statement read. No cause of death was provided, but Rodriguez reportedly dealt with health issues in recent years.
Rodriguez only released two studio albums: 1970’s Cold Fact and 1971’s Coming From Reality.
Rodriguez’s death was announced Wednesday on his official website. “It is with great sadness that we at Sugarman.org announce that Sixto Diaz Rodriguez has passed away earlier today,” the statement read. No cause of death was provided, but Rodriguez reportedly dealt with health issues in recent years.
Rodriguez only released two studio albums: 1970’s Cold Fact and 1971’s Coming From Reality.
- 8/9/2023
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Documentary film editors are like crash test dummies, according to Alexis Johnson. You keep letting yourself crash, assuming the seatbelts will work, over and over again just to see what impact a scene is having on you.
“If I am going to harness a feeling, I have to feel it myself,” she said, recalling working on director Alex Gibney’s powerful 2021 documentary “The Forever Prisoner,” about the CIA’s interrogation treatment of prisoner Abu Zubaydah. In addition to the countless hours reworking scenes of waterboarding and other harsh treatments, Johnson edited a sequence that depicts the technique of playing high-decibel music to terrorize a prisoner. It was particularly grueling, as Johnson repeatedly subjected herself to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ cacophonous “Give It Away” for hours while shaping the depiction of Zubaydah being tortured by the same song.
By the end of working on “The Forever Prisoner,” Johnson said, she...
“If I am going to harness a feeling, I have to feel it myself,” she said, recalling working on director Alex Gibney’s powerful 2021 documentary “The Forever Prisoner,” about the CIA’s interrogation treatment of prisoner Abu Zubaydah. In addition to the countless hours reworking scenes of waterboarding and other harsh treatments, Johnson edited a sequence that depicts the technique of playing high-decibel music to terrorize a prisoner. It was particularly grueling, as Johnson repeatedly subjected herself to the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ cacophonous “Give It Away” for hours while shaping the depiction of Zubaydah being tortured by the same song.
By the end of working on “The Forever Prisoner,” Johnson said, she...
- 6/12/2023
- by Tom Roston
- Indiewire
This year’s Oscar race for documentary feature, as every other year, includes films made by veteran directors. Oscar-win- ner Laura Poitras (“All the Beauty and the Bloodshed”), Primetime Emmy nominee Ryan White (“Good Night Oppy”) and two-time Sundance grand jury prize winner Ondi Timoner (“Last Flight Home”) are among the seasoned helmers vying for a spot on the documentary shortlist, released Dec. 21.
But alongside the vets are a slew of directors who are relatively new to the scene with docs that are garnering praise and plenty of hardware. Those helmers include Sara Dosa (“Fire of Love’’), Edward Buckles Jr. (“Katrina Babies’’) Isabel Castro (“Mija”), Daniel Roher (“Navalny”) and Alex Pritz (“The Territory’’).
It’s never easy being new to the game, but if you’re a documentary filmmaker it can have its advantages, especially come Oscar season. The old guard continuously welcomes newcomers with open arms. Proof is in the past decade of winners,...
But alongside the vets are a slew of directors who are relatively new to the scene with docs that are garnering praise and plenty of hardware. Those helmers include Sara Dosa (“Fire of Love’’), Edward Buckles Jr. (“Katrina Babies’’) Isabel Castro (“Mija”), Daniel Roher (“Navalny”) and Alex Pritz (“The Territory’’).
It’s never easy being new to the game, but if you’re a documentary filmmaker it can have its advantages, especially come Oscar season. The old guard continuously welcomes newcomers with open arms. Proof is in the past decade of winners,...
- 12/10/2022
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
For the second year running, Sheffield DocFest’s flagship pitching forum MeetMarket is taking place virtually. That’s not holding back the number of projects applying: MeetMarket has had more than 550 applications this year. From these, MeetMarket has selected 55 projects, which will have the chance to present to more than 300 international funders, broadcasters, distributors, festival programmers and exhibitors.
They will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of high-profile documentaries that have previously come through MeetMarket while looking for funding or partners, including Malik Bendjelloul’s “Searching for Sugarman,” Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing” and Nanfu Wang’s “One Child Nation.”
Sheffield DocFest head of industry Patrick Hurley says there were concerns about the number and nature of projects that might apply this year, given the background of the pandemic. Would the wheels still be turning on projects preparing to pitch? Would they qualitatively be different because of travel bans and restrictions?...
They will be seeking to follow in the footsteps of high-profile documentaries that have previously come through MeetMarket while looking for funding or partners, including Malik Bendjelloul’s “Searching for Sugarman,” Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Act of Killing” and Nanfu Wang’s “One Child Nation.”
Sheffield DocFest head of industry Patrick Hurley says there were concerns about the number and nature of projects that might apply this year, given the background of the pandemic. Would the wheels still be turning on projects preparing to pitch? Would they qualitatively be different because of travel bans and restrictions?...
- 6/1/2021
- by Tim Dams
- Variety Film + TV
It’s been said time and again that the Academy’s documentary branch is a consistently unpredictable bunch. But are they?
Given their Oscar nomination track record, it certainly doesn’t seem like it. The group has made their likes and dislikes perfectly clear in recent years. They enjoy recognizing international productions as well as newcomers. In the past two decades alone, 12 directors have taken home the Academy Award for their very first documentary theatrical feature. They include Bryan Fogel (“Icarus”), Ezra Edelman (“O.J.: Made in America”), Louie Psihoyos (“The Cove”) and Malik Bendjelloul (“Searching for Sugarman”). Big box office numbers also don’t impress this nonfiction crowd. Examples include snubbing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” ($22.8 million) “Three Identical Strangers” ($13.4 million) and this year’s “Apollo 11” ($15.3 million). They also aren’t awed by archival footage. (Again: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “Apollo 11”.) And they especially...
Given their Oscar nomination track record, it certainly doesn’t seem like it. The group has made their likes and dislikes perfectly clear in recent years. They enjoy recognizing international productions as well as newcomers. In the past two decades alone, 12 directors have taken home the Academy Award for their very first documentary theatrical feature. They include Bryan Fogel (“Icarus”), Ezra Edelman (“O.J.: Made in America”), Louie Psihoyos (“The Cove”) and Malik Bendjelloul (“Searching for Sugarman”). Big box office numbers also don’t impress this nonfiction crowd. Examples include snubbing “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” ($22.8 million) “Three Identical Strangers” ($13.4 million) and this year’s “Apollo 11” ($15.3 million). They also aren’t awed by archival footage. (Again: “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and “Apollo 11”.) And they especially...
- 1/31/2020
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Steven Soderbergh wasn’t the first filmmaker to shoot an entire movie on an iPhone, but with his latest film “High Flying Bird” he’s proved yet again that it’s totally possible to have a professional, beautiful looking movie filmed with something that fits in your pocket. Here are some other feature films and a few shorts that have made use of Apple’s flagship smartphone.
“High Flying Bird” (2019)
Soderbergh shot “High Flying Bird” on an iPhone 8, which is now capable of filming in 4K resolution. The wealthy and bright realms of power atop expensive restaurants and skyscrapers for high-powered agents is far different than the mood Soderbergh was chasing on “Unsane,” but the film even has a sequence in which the action of a one-on-one basketball match isn’t captured on camera but by teenagers on, what else, their phones.
“Unsane” (2018)
The first time Steven Soderbergh utilized an...
“High Flying Bird” (2019)
Soderbergh shot “High Flying Bird” on an iPhone 8, which is now capable of filming in 4K resolution. The wealthy and bright realms of power atop expensive restaurants and skyscrapers for high-powered agents is far different than the mood Soderbergh was chasing on “Unsane,” but the film even has a sequence in which the action of a one-on-one basketball match isn’t captured on camera but by teenagers on, what else, their phones.
“Unsane” (2018)
The first time Steven Soderbergh utilized an...
- 2/14/2019
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Simon Chinn (Man On Wire) joined by Dogwoof, Discovery and BBC execs.
A Sheffield Doc/Fest panel titled ‘How To Get Your Theatrical Doc Funded and Distributed saw industry heavyweights deliver a raft of advice.
Discovery Channel head of documentary and specials John Hoffman said every production company should be approachable “as you never know when the next great story will appear.”
Hoffman recalled his tenure as a producer at HBO, citing that no documentary was ever overlooked. Using the film Rape in a Small Town: The Florence Holway Story as an example, he recalled when Jeffrey and Charlene Chapman...
A Sheffield Doc/Fest panel titled ‘How To Get Your Theatrical Doc Funded and Distributed saw industry heavyweights deliver a raft of advice.
Discovery Channel head of documentary and specials John Hoffman said every production company should be approachable “as you never know when the next great story will appear.”
Hoffman recalled his tenure as a producer at HBO, citing that no documentary was ever overlooked. Using the film Rape in a Small Town: The Florence Holway Story as an example, he recalled when Jeffrey and Charlene Chapman...
- 6/15/2016
- ScreenDaily
facebook
twitter
google+
50 fabulous documentary films, covering hard politics through to music, money and films that never were...
Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, we’ve never had better access to documentaries. A whole new audience can discover that these real life stories are just as thrilling, entertaining, and incredible as the latest big-budget blockbuster. What’s more, they’re all true too. But with a new found glut of them comes the ever more impossible choice, what’s worth your time? Below is my pick of the 50 best modern feature length documentaries.
I’ve defined modern as being from 2000 onwards, which means some of the greatest documentaries ever made will not feature here. I’m looking at you Hoop Dreams.
50. McConkey (2013)
d. Rob Bruce, Scott Gaffney, Murray Wais, Steve Winter, David Zieff
Shane McConkey was an extreme skier and Base jumper who lived life on the edge, and very much to the full.
google+
50 fabulous documentary films, covering hard politics through to music, money and films that never were...
Thanks to streaming services such as Netflix, we’ve never had better access to documentaries. A whole new audience can discover that these real life stories are just as thrilling, entertaining, and incredible as the latest big-budget blockbuster. What’s more, they’re all true too. But with a new found glut of them comes the ever more impossible choice, what’s worth your time? Below is my pick of the 50 best modern feature length documentaries.
I’ve defined modern as being from 2000 onwards, which means some of the greatest documentaries ever made will not feature here. I’m looking at you Hoop Dreams.
50. McConkey (2013)
d. Rob Bruce, Scott Gaffney, Murray Wais, Steve Winter, David Zieff
Shane McConkey was an extreme skier and Base jumper who lived life on the edge, and very much to the full.
- 11/12/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Sony Pictures Classics will re-release Malik Bendjelloul‘s Oscar-winning documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” in New York and Los Angeles this month as the film’s subject, rock musician Rodriguez, prepares to go on tour with Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys, the company announced Tuesday. “Searching for Sugar Man” will be shown for one week limited engagements beginning June 19 at the Laemmle Music Hall in Los Angeles and June 26 at the Village East Cinema in New York City. Rodriguez was discovered in a Detroit bar in the late 1960s by two celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies.
- 6/9/2015
- by Jeff Sneider
- The Wrap
All the winners from Sunday’s 87th Academy Awards.
Show host Harris signs off with a chirpy, “Buenos noches!”
Sean Penn walks on. It’s time for the big one. Best film. Will it be Birdman or Boyhood? It’s Birdman! The movie ends the night tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel on four Oscars. Inarritu, referring to his pal Alfonso Cuaron who enjoyed success with Gravity at last year’s show, says, “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.” Slightly more seriously, Agi also calls on his fellow Mexicans to help build a strong future for his beloved country. Wow, a good night for Birdman and a surprisingly barren one for Boyhood. Pirates indeed, Ethan Hawke, but glorious pirates.
And now Matthew McConaughey saunters on stage to announce best actress. Julianne Moore, five times a nominee at the Oscars is the favourite. Will she get it this time for Still Alice? Yes she’s got...
Show host Harris signs off with a chirpy, “Buenos noches!”
Sean Penn walks on. It’s time for the big one. Best film. Will it be Birdman or Boyhood? It’s Birdman! The movie ends the night tied with The Grand Budapest Hotel on four Oscars. Inarritu, referring to his pal Alfonso Cuaron who enjoyed success with Gravity at last year’s show, says, “Two Mexicans in a row. That’s suspicious, I guess.” Slightly more seriously, Agi also calls on his fellow Mexicans to help build a strong future for his beloved country. Wow, a good night for Birdman and a surprisingly barren one for Boyhood. Pirates indeed, Ethan Hawke, but glorious pirates.
And now Matthew McConaughey saunters on stage to announce best actress. Julianne Moore, five times a nominee at the Oscars is the favourite. Will she get it this time for Still Alice? Yes she’s got...
- 2/22/2015
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter published a comprehensive piece that takes a look at the final days of "Searching for Sugar Man" director Malik Bendjelloul. Bendjelloul took his life in early May, a little more than a year after he won an Oscar for his documentary about American musician Sixto Rodriguez. THR (and arguably most glossy publications) don't usually lead in with cover stories about documentary filmmakers, but the multi-talented director's tragic death has warranted such a profile. Read More: Report: Malik Bendjelloul, 'Searching for Sugar Man' Director, Committed Suicide The article includes a brief biography, snippets of conversations with some of Bendjelloul's closest friends and colleagues and, perhaps most unfortunately, a glimpse at the decline of the director's mental health. In honor of his life and THR's thorough article, Indiewire has decided to put together a piece that highlights some things you probably didn't know about the filmmaker.
- 6/12/2014
- by Eric Eidelstein
- Indiewire
Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter published a comprehensive piece that takes a look at the final days of "Searching for Sugar Man" director Malik Bendjelloul. Bendjelloul took his life in early May, a little more than a year after he won an Oscar for his documentary about American musician Sixto Rodriguez. THR (and arguably most glossy publications) don't usually lead in with cover stories about documentary filmmakers, but the multi-talented director's tragic death has warranted such a profile. Read More: Report: Malik Bendjelloul, 'Searching for Sugar Man' Director, Committed Suicide The article includes a brief biography, snippets of conversations with some of Bendjelloul's closest friends and colleagues and, perhaps most unfortunately, a glimpse at the decline of the director's mental health. In honor of his life and THR's thorough article, Indiewire has decided to put together a piece that highlights some things you probably didn't know about the filmmaker.
- 6/12/2014
- by Eric Eidelstein
- Indiewire
The best movie culture writing from around the internet-o-sphere. There will be a quiz later. Just leave a tab open for us, will ya? “A Community Grows in Texas: The 2014 Atx Television Festival” — Libby Hill at RogerEbert.com focuses in on a successful young fest celebrating the small screen. “Oscar to Suicide in One Year: Tracing the Searching For Sugar Man Director’s Tragic Final Days” — Scott Johnson at THR travels to Sweden to speak with Malik Bendjelloul’s friends to better understand an Oscar-winning perfectionist and the early death of a promising young storyteller. “When reporters asked Johar whether success had contributed to his brother’s demise, Johar replied, “He was a very straightforward person when it came to success,” he said. “Admirably earthy and relaxed. Unimaginably relaxed about [his] successes, I cannot see any such links.” But while Bendjelloul might have put on a good face, the toll of success might have been greater than even...
- 6/12/2014
- by Scott Beggs
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Alex Gibney’s joint ventures into music and politics in recent years continues with a new biopic of legendary Nigerian Afrobeat musician, and steadfast activist, Fela Kuti. Peddling out of The Armstrong Lie, Gibney turns his attention to Bill T. Jones’ Broadway musical Fela!, twinning it with archival and borrowed footage to lead us on an equally heart-racing journey. Finding Fela has the makings of a classic music biopic: as thorough and soulful as Kevin Macdonald’s Marley, thrilling as Scorsese’s The Last Waltz all those years ago, or more recently Morgan Neville’s euphoric 20 Feet From Stardom, but follows an irresistible character in the same way Malik Bendjelloul’s Searching For Sugar Man did.
As with so many celebrated black singers, Kuti’s origins were humble: the Church was where his music career started. History often dictates the lives of these icons however; Kuti was soon politicised through...
As with so many celebrated black singers, Kuti’s origins were humble: the Church was where his music career started. History often dictates the lives of these icons however; Kuti was soon politicised through...
- 6/11/2014
- by Andrew Latimer
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Of course, anyone who tells you they know the secret to winning an Oscar is lying because there is no one guaranteed path to the Academy Awards, but as the panelists at yesterday's "The Race for the Documentary Oscar" session at Sheffield Doc/Fest acknowledged, there are some fast paths to get there. In a panel featuring Philippa Kowarsky, founding and managing director of Cinephil, a sales and co-productions company ("The Gatekeepers," "The Act of Killing"), Academy-award winning producer Simon Chinn ("Man on Wire," "Searching for Sugar Man") and Nick Fraser, commissioning editor, BBC Storyville ("Man on Wire"), the discussion ranged from the cost of qualifying theatrical runs, the value of a publicist and other considerations for an Oscar run. After a clip from "Searching for Sugar Man," which Chinn produced, he took a moment to acknowledge the recent tragic loss of the film's director Malik Bendjelloul. "It's very difficult...
- 6/10/2014
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Producers at Sheffield Doc/Fest talk about Oscars race for documentaries.
Producer Simon Chinn paid tribute to Malik Bendjelloul, the 36-year-old director of Oscar winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man who died in May, at a panel which took place during Sheffield’s Doc/Fest (June 9).
Sitting on the panel entitled “The Race For the Documentary Oscar,” Chinn described the moment the young Swedish director walked into his office with the idea for Searching for Sugar Man.
“He completely won me over, he was a wonderful, infectious enthusiast and he had this story that he thought could go all the way. I remember in our first meeting he uttered the word Oscar,” said Chinn, who added that he would “like to dedicate my contribution today to Malik’s memory.” [He is pictured with Bendjelloul on the night of their Oscar win.]
Also on the Doc/Fest panel were Israeli distributor Cinephil’s Philippa Kowarsky, which was behind this year’s divisive Oscar nominated documentary The Act of Killing and 2012 shortlisted...
Producer Simon Chinn paid tribute to Malik Bendjelloul, the 36-year-old director of Oscar winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man who died in May, at a panel which took place during Sheffield’s Doc/Fest (June 9).
Sitting on the panel entitled “The Race For the Documentary Oscar,” Chinn described the moment the young Swedish director walked into his office with the idea for Searching for Sugar Man.
“He completely won me over, he was a wonderful, infectious enthusiast and he had this story that he thought could go all the way. I remember in our first meeting he uttered the word Oscar,” said Chinn, who added that he would “like to dedicate my contribution today to Malik’s memory.” [He is pictured with Bendjelloul on the night of their Oscar win.]
Also on the Doc/Fest panel were Israeli distributor Cinephil’s Philippa Kowarsky, which was behind this year’s divisive Oscar nominated documentary The Act of Killing and 2012 shortlisted...
- 6/10/2014
- by sarah.cooper@screendaily.com (Sarah Cooper)
- ScreenDaily
It always sucks when someone dies. But in the small world of documentary filmmaking, where the directors are a close-knit, dogged group, traveling to the same events and sharing the same few resources to tell their often personal or passionate stories, the loss of a fellow intrepid traveler cuts deep. It’s like losing a member of your extended family. The last six months have been particularly tough on the international nonfiction community, with the passings of Ed Pincus, Peter Wintonick, Michael Glawogger, and Malik Bendjelloul. The loss of just one of these filmmakers provides plenty to mourn, but the death of four beloved directors within a short time is cause for serious pause. Not only will the documentary community miss out on their future projects, it also loses their voices: creative, intellectual, and in some cases, rabble-rousing, these were filmmakers who were defined as much by their outstanding work as their character.
- 5/29/2014
- by Anthony Kaufman
- Indiewire
Thanks to director Darius Devas for emailing us about his interview from SXSW 2012 with Malik Bendjelloul, the late director of Searching For Sugar Man. In this five-minute interview, a thoroughly engaged Bendjelloul talks about finding his story, constructing a narrative that builds from one “and then” moment to another, and the human brain’s close resemblance to a chimpanzee’s.
- 5/21/2014
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Thanks to director Darius Devas for emailing us about his interview from SXSW 2012 with Malik Bendjelloul, the late director of Searching For Sugar Man. In this five-minute interview, a thoroughly engaged Bendjelloul talks about finding his story, constructing a narrative that builds from one “and then” moment to another, and the human brain’s close resemblance to a chimpanzee’s.
- 5/21/2014
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
Despite all the star power flowing through the streets and screening rooms of Cannes, one of the most overwhelming stories in these first few days has been the news of the death (by suicide, according to family) of 36-year old Malik Bendjelloul, director of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man. Many of the filmmakers and journalists here at Cannes, including myself, followed the journey of that movie, about Bendjelloul's search for Sixto Rodriguez, a '70s Detroit rocker who'd released one transcendent album and then disappeared. Bendjelloul ran out of money during filming and finished the movie on his iPhone. His storytelling was so personal and gripping that when Rodriguez himself walked out — alive! — after the Sundance premiere, I started screaming involuntarily, like the Beatles had just gotten back together. At every press conference here in Cannes, journalists from Bendjelloul's native Sweden have asked for comment from directors and...
- 5/15/2014
- by Jada Yuan
- Vulture
Free screening in tribute to Oscar-winning director Malik Bendjelloul.
Protagonist Pictures and the Swedish Film Institute are to host a screening of Searching for Sugar Man in Cannes as a tribute to director Malik Bendjelloul who died this week.
The free screening is scheduled to take place this Sunday (May 18) at 9.30am in Cinema Star 1.
The 36-year-old Swedish director, who committed suicide at his home in Stockholm this week, won a host of awards for his remarkable story of singer Rodriguez, including the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and the BAFTA for Best Documentary Film.
Protagonist Pictures handled international sales for the film. ...
Protagonist Pictures and the Swedish Film Institute are to host a screening of Searching for Sugar Man in Cannes as a tribute to director Malik Bendjelloul who died this week.
The free screening is scheduled to take place this Sunday (May 18) at 9.30am in Cinema Star 1.
The 36-year-old Swedish director, who committed suicide at his home in Stockholm this week, won a host of awards for his remarkable story of singer Rodriguez, including the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature and the BAFTA for Best Documentary Film.
Protagonist Pictures handled international sales for the film. ...
- 5/15/2014
- ScreenDaily
Searching for Sugar Man director Malik Bendjelloul committed suicide, his family have confirmed.
Stockholm police found Bendjelloul at his home in the city on Tuesday (May 13) .
Bendjelloul's brother Johar told local newspaper the Aftonbladet that his sibling had struggled with depression and took his own life.
"Life isn't always easy. I was with him all the time towards the end. I don't know how to handle this. I just don't know," he said.
Bendjelloul's family have asked for privacy in order to grieve.
Searching for Sugar Man, about the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, won the Best Documentary Oscar in 2013.
Bendjelloul also won the 2013 BAFTA, Director's Guild of America, Producer's Guild of America, Writer's Guild of America, American Cinema Editors and the 2012 International Documentary Association awards for the movie.
He appeared on TV as a child and produced music documentaries for Swedish television as well as worked as a TV reporter.
Stockholm police found Bendjelloul at his home in the city on Tuesday (May 13) .
Bendjelloul's brother Johar told local newspaper the Aftonbladet that his sibling had struggled with depression and took his own life.
"Life isn't always easy. I was with him all the time towards the end. I don't know how to handle this. I just don't know," he said.
Bendjelloul's family have asked for privacy in order to grieve.
Searching for Sugar Man, about the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, won the Best Documentary Oscar in 2013.
Bendjelloul also won the 2013 BAFTA, Director's Guild of America, Producer's Guild of America, Writer's Guild of America, American Cinema Editors and the 2012 International Documentary Association awards for the movie.
He appeared on TV as a child and produced music documentaries for Swedish television as well as worked as a TV reporter.
- 5/14/2014
- Digital Spy
Stockholm (AP) — Malik Bendjelloul, the Swedish director of the acclaimed "Searching for Sugar Man" documentary, was widely known for his enthusiasm, kindness and high spirits — so the news Wednesday that he had taken his own life shocked colleagues around the world. Bendjelloul's brother Johar Bendjelloul confirmed to The Associated Press that his 36-year-old younger brother committed suicide Tuesday. He told daily Aftonbladet that his brother had struggled with depression for a short period. "Life is not always simple," Johar Bendjelloul was quoted as saying, adding that receiving the message that his brother had committed suicide was the worst thing he had ever experienced. "I don't know how to handle it. I don't know," he said. Police would not comment on the cause of death but said they suspected no foul play. Bendjelloul rose to international fame in 2013 when his debut feature film, "Searching for Sugar Man," won an Oscar for best documentary.
- 5/14/2014
- by Malin Rising (AP)
- Hitfix
Malik Bendjelloul is best known to the general public as the director of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching For Sugar Man. To those who actually knew him, however, he was a nice, determined guy with a passionate spirit and a zest for life. Many were hopeful, after a few more brilliant documentaries, that the rest of the world might get to know that fun-loving guy too, but sadly, that.s never going to happen. Bendjelloul was found dead this week. He was only 36. What exactly happened is still unclear, but his brother told a local Swedish outlet that he took his own life following a "short depression". Beyond that, almost nothing is known, except that the family is devastated about what happened. According to The Daily Mail, Bendjellou grew up as the son of a painter and a translator in Sweden. He went to school to become a journalist and later...
- 5/14/2014
- cinemablend.com
Malik Bendjelloul's cause of death has been revealed. The Oscar-winning director of Searching for Sugar Man committed suicide, the Swedish filmmaker's brother Johar Bendjelloul confirmed to Swedish media. "I can confirm that it was suicide and that he had been depressed for a short period of time," Bendjelloul's brother told tabloid Aftonbladet (via the Daily Mail)."Life is not always so easy...It's the worst. I don't know how to handle it." Bendjelloul was only 36 when he took his own life this week. Bendjelloul was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday. Police didn't immediately confirm where he was found or his cause of death. Searching for Sugar Man,...
- 5/14/2014
- E! Online
Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul – the director of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man – has died, the Associated Press reports. He was 36.
Rodriguez: 10 Things You Don't Know About the 'Searching for Sugar Man' Star
Bendjelloul's brother, Johar, said Malik had committed suicide. Police would not comment on the cause of death but said there was no foul play in his death. Johar said Malik had struggled with depression for a short period. "Life is not always simple," he said.
Prior to making the documentary – which focused on...
Rodriguez: 10 Things You Don't Know About the 'Searching for Sugar Man' Star
Bendjelloul's brother, Johar, said Malik had committed suicide. Police would not comment on the cause of death but said there was no foul play in his death. Johar said Malik had struggled with depression for a short period. "Life is not always simple," he said.
Prior to making the documentary – which focused on...
- 5/14/2014
- Rollingstone.com
The film world is mourning the death of Malik Bendjelloul, 36, the Swedish director who rose to international fame as the filmmaker behind the Academy Award-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man." Documentary film directors, film festival programmers and fans publicly expressed their grief over the loss of the young talent. The Swedish director was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday; the Associated Press reports that he committed suicide after struggling with depression. The director won the Academy for Best Documentary last year for "Searching for Sugar Man," about his search for the musician Sixto Diaz Rodriguez. Bendjelloul directed, produced, edited and co-wrote the film, which initially premiered at Sundance in 2012 where it won the Audience Award. The film, which was the director's first, also won awards for Best Documentary from the DGA, PGA, WGA, BAFTA, Nbr and other festivals. When the film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, it was...
- 5/14/2014
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
Shock, disbelief and great sadness were the reactions of the Swedish — and international — film community following the news of the death by suicide of 36-year-old Malik Bendjelloul, the director of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man. Journalist Johar Bendjelloul said his younger brother had killed himself after struggling with depression for a short period of time. The filmmaker rose to international fame in 2013 when his debut feature film, Searching for Sugar Man, won an Oscar for best documentary. The film tells the story of how singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who had flopped
read more...
read more...
- 5/14/2014
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Malik Bendjelloul, who directed the Oscar-winning documentary Searching forSugar Man, died on Tuesday in Stockholm, The Associated Press reports. He was 36.
According to the filmmaker's brother Johar, Bendjelloul committed suicide. Johar told Swedish daily Aftonbladet that the director had struggled with depression and that learning his brother had taken his own life was the worst thing he'd ever experienced.
Read More >...
According to the filmmaker's brother Johar, Bendjelloul committed suicide. Johar told Swedish daily Aftonbladet that the director had struggled with depression and that learning his brother had taken his own life was the worst thing he'd ever experienced.
Read More >...
- 5/14/2014
- by Sadie Gennis
- TVGuide - Breaking News
Ridley Scott is in talks to direct Matt Damon in The Martian, a sci-fi film at Fox centering on an astronaut who is stranded on a Martian colony and struggles to survive. Back on Earth, Nasa tries to mount a rescue mission. Drew Goddard was previously attached but his Sinister Six commitments prevent him from making the film. Martian is based on Andy Weir's self-published book, find it here. THR Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines) is set to direct Michael Fassbender in Dreamworks' The Light Between Oceans. The film is based on M.L. Stedman's novel, set on a remote Australian island in the years following World War I, story follows a lighthouse keeper and his wife who are faced with a moral dilemma when a boat washes ashore with a dead man and a two-month-old infant. When they decide to raise the child as their own,...
- 5/14/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Source: Getty / Ben Pruchnie Angelina Jolie says her kids are her wedding planners, so it's going to be "Disney or paintball" themed. Jessica Simpson has reportedly set a wedding date and will marry fiancé Eric Johnson in Santa Barbara over the July 4 weekend. Miley Cyrus claims her epic rant was not about her exes - especially not ex-fiancé Liam Hemsworth. In case you were wondering, Gisele Bündchen raises chicken at home and makes fruit leather with her son, Benjamin. Ed Sheeran has a new girlfriend, and says he wants Taylor Swift to date Orlando Bloom. Coincidentally, Orlando was recently linked to Taylor's Bff Selena Gomez. Beyoncé subtly responded to the Solange/Jay Z elevator fight drama by posting four photos in a row of her and her sister on Instagram today. Olivia Munn is reportedly dating NFL player Aaron Rodgers after she split from longtime boyfriend Joel Kinnaman. The Oscar-winning...
- 5/14/2014
- by Alyse Whitney
- Popsugar.com
Malik Bendjelloul, the acclaimed Swedish film director behind the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died. He was 36. Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, and said no crime is suspected in relation to the death. Bendjelloul's older brother, Johar Bendjelloul, confirmed to the Associated Press that Malik committed suicide Tuesday. Johar told the daily newspaper Aftonbladet that his brother had struggled with depression for a short period. "Life is not always simple," Johar Bendjelloul was quoted as saying, adding that receiving the message that his brother had committed suicide was...
- 5/14/2014
- by Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
The family of the Oscar-winning Searching for Sugar Man director Malik Bendjelloul have told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he killed himself following a bout of depression
The brother of the late Malik Benjelloul, director of music documentary Searching For Sugar Man which won an Oscar in 2013, has said that he took his own life after a struggle with depression.
Johar Bendjelloul told the Aftonbladet newspaper in Sweden. "I can confim that it was suicide and that he had been depressed for a short period of time," he said, adding: "Life is not always so easy... I don't know how to handle it."
Continue reading...
The brother of the late Malik Benjelloul, director of music documentary Searching For Sugar Man which won an Oscar in 2013, has said that he took his own life after a struggle with depression.
Johar Bendjelloul told the Aftonbladet newspaper in Sweden. "I can confim that it was suicide and that he had been depressed for a short period of time," he said, adding: "Life is not always so easy... I don't know how to handle it."
Continue reading...
- 5/14/2014
- by Ben Beaumont-Thomas
- The Guardian - Film News
Johar Bendjelloul told a Swedish newspaper that his brother, ”Searching for Sugar Man” director Malik Bendjelloul, committed suicide. In an interview with the Aftonbladet, the elder Bendjelloul brother said that Malik, who won an Oscar in 2013 for his film, had “struggled with depression.” Also read: Malik Bendjelloul Searched the World to Find ‘Sugar Man’ Tale “Life isn't always easy,” Johar said. “I was with him all the time towards the end.” “Searching for Sugar Man” focused on the search for a mysterious musician named Rodriguez, who faded from attention in America after two albums in the 70's. He was considered a legend in South.
- 5/14/2014
- by James Crugnale and Jordan Zakarin
- The Wrap
Malik Bendjelloul, the Oscar-winning director of Searching For Sugar Man, has passed away in Stockholm, according to multiple news reports. Though no cause of death has been given, authorities have said they do not suspect foul play. He was just 36 years of age.As a South African, Searching For Sugar Man was nothing short of a personal revelation. The subject of the documentary, Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, was a profound musical presence in my formative years, yet never more than a name. Rodriguez simply didn't exist outside of his songs, and a few urban legends. In fact, I confess to thinking, for years, that he was some obscure local musician, lost to the passage of time like so much from 60s and 70s South Africa. Searching For Sugar Man changed...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...
- 5/14/2014
- Screen Anarchy
As the film world mourns the death of Malik Bendjelloul, the Associated Press reports that the 36-year-old director of the Academy Award-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" committed suicide after struggling with depression. The Swedish director was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday. Bendjelloul's brother Johar Bendjelloul told Swedish daily Aftonbladet that his younger brother had taken his own life. "Life is not always simple," Johar Bendjelloul said. "I don't know how to handle it. I don't know," he said. The director won the Academy for Best Documentary last year for "Searching for Sugar Man," about his search for the musician Sixto Diaz Rodriguez. Bendjelloul directed, produced, edited and co-wrote the film, which initially premiered at Sundance in 2012 where it won the Audience Award. The film, which was the director's first, also won awards for Best Documentary from the DGA, PGA, WGA, BAFTA, Nbr and other festivals. When Indiewire...
- 5/14/2014
- by Paula Bernstein
- Indiewire
The brother of Malik Bendjelloul has told a Swedish newspaper that the acclaimed filmmaker behind the documentary Searching for Sugar Man committed suicide. Johar Bendjelloul told Swedish daily Aftonbladet on Wednesday that his younger brother had struggled with depression for a short period of time. Bendjelloul was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday. The filmmaker rose to international fame in 2013 when his debut feature film, Searching for Sugar Man, won an Oscar for best documentary. The film tells the story of how Detroit-based singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez, who had flopped
read more...
read more...
- 5/14/2014
- by The Associated Press
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The producers of Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man have paid tribute to director Malik Bendjelloul who died this week aged 36.
Searching for Sugar Man producer Simon Chinn, of Red Box Films, said: “I felt so fortunate when Malik walked into my life, with his charm, optimism, boundless energy and total lack of guile. Now he is gone it feels like a very bright light has been snuffed out.
“As a filmmaker he was an inspiration - someone who, despite his relative inexperience, was driven by a passion and determination to do justice to the great story he had found and to prove to those who had doubted he could do it, of which there were many, wrong.
“How he proved them wrong! I feel deeply honoured to have gone on this journey with him and I simply can’t believe I will never see his smiling face again. His loss will be felt for a very...
Searching for Sugar Man producer Simon Chinn, of Red Box Films, said: “I felt so fortunate when Malik walked into my life, with his charm, optimism, boundless energy and total lack of guile. Now he is gone it feels like a very bright light has been snuffed out.
“As a filmmaker he was an inspiration - someone who, despite his relative inexperience, was driven by a passion and determination to do justice to the great story he had found and to prove to those who had doubted he could do it, of which there were many, wrong.
“How he proved them wrong! I feel deeply honoured to have gone on this journey with him and I simply can’t believe I will never see his smiling face again. His loss will be felt for a very...
- 5/14/2014
- by andreas.wiseman@screendaily.com (Andreas Wiseman)
- ScreenDaily
Searching for Sugar Man, Bendjelloul's tremendous debut, heralded the arrival of a bright new talent. His death is a terrible shock
Searching for Sugar Man director Malik Bendjelloul dies aged 36
In the summer of 2012 Malik Bendjelloul rolled in to the Sheffield documentary film festival to tell us that life is strange, that no man is an island and that even the most self-effacing artist can have a galvanising effect on people they've never met on the other side of the world. The Swedish director's documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, opened the event on a glorious high. It spun the story of Sixto Rodriguez, an obscure American folk singer who became an unlikely emblem for the white liberal classes in apartheid-era South Africa.
Rodriguez's new army of fans thought their hero was dead; that he'd set himself alight on stage; the ultimate encore. Instead it turned out that he had...
Searching for Sugar Man director Malik Bendjelloul dies aged 36
In the summer of 2012 Malik Bendjelloul rolled in to the Sheffield documentary film festival to tell us that life is strange, that no man is an island and that even the most self-effacing artist can have a galvanising effect on people they've never met on the other side of the world. The Swedish director's documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, opened the event on a glorious high. It spun the story of Sixto Rodriguez, an obscure American folk singer who became an unlikely emblem for the white liberal classes in apartheid-era South Africa.
Rodriguez's new army of fans thought their hero was dead; that he'd set himself alight on stage; the ultimate encore. Instead it turned out that he had...
- 5/14/2014
- by Xan Brooks
- The Guardian - Film News
Renowned Swiss artist and set designer H.R. Giger, best known for his incredible work on Ridley Scott's Alien, has passed away at the age of 74. Oscar-winning filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul (Searching For Sugar Man) has shockingly been found dead in his home at the age of 36. We've been big fans of Critics Round Up, an alternative aggregator for movie reviews, so we were pretty choked to hear it was shutting down...But now it appears, in Lazarus-fashion, the site will be sticking around. Above: Film Comment has made available (for 99 cents!) a digital anthology that "collects 35 years of analysis of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's films and profiles of his closest collaborators." This coincides with the "Fassbinder: Romantic Anarchist" retrospective at the Film Society of Lincoln Center starting May 16th. If you're lucky enough to attend, you may want to grab one of these. Check out the series' trailer:
For Cinema Scope Online,...
For Cinema Scope Online,...
- 5/14/2014
- by Adam Cook
- MUBI
Swedish police say no crime suspected in death of filmmaker who won 2013 Oscar for documentary about elusive musician
Malik Bendjelloul: Xan Brooks remembers a director full of puppyish charm
Malik Bendjelloul, the Swedish film director who made the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died at the age of 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press that Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late on Tuesday. The police did not specify the cause of death and said no crime was suspected.
Continue reading...
Malik Bendjelloul: Xan Brooks remembers a director full of puppyish charm
Malik Bendjelloul, the Swedish film director who made the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died at the age of 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press that Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late on Tuesday. The police did not specify the cause of death and said no crime was suspected.
Continue reading...
- 5/14/2014
- by Agencies in Stockholm
- The Guardian - Film News
Swedish police say no crime suspected in death of filmmaker who won 2013 Oscar for documentary about elusive musician
Malik Bendjelloul: Xan Brooks remembers a director full of puppyish charm
Malik Bendjelloul, the Swedish film director who made the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died at the age of 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press that Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late on Tuesday. The police did not specify the cause of death and said no crime was suspected.
Continue reading...
Malik Bendjelloul: Xan Brooks remembers a director full of puppyish charm
Malik Bendjelloul, the Swedish film director who made the Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died at the age of 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press that Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late on Tuesday. The police did not specify the cause of death and said no crime was suspected.
Continue reading...
- 5/14/2014
- by Agencies in Stockholm
- The Guardian - Film News
Malik Bendjelloul, the Oscar-winning director of Searching for Sugar Man, was found dead in his Stockholm home on Tuesday. He was 36.
Malik Bendjelloul Dies
Police confirmed Bendjelloul’s death and that no foul play was suspected, but declined to reveal the cause. Bendjelloul’s brother Johar Bendjelloul, however, has stated that the director suffered from depression and had committed suicide.
Bendjelloul was best known for Searching for Sugar Man, a documentary about Sixto Rodriguez, a bluesy folk singer from Detroit who had found a cult following in South Africa after vanishing from the music scene in the 70s. Bendjelloul found the inspiration for the critically acclaimed film during his extensive travels.
"I was traveling around the world for six months in 2006, looking for good stories... and in Cape Town I met Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, the detective of the story," Bendjellouol said in an April 2013 interview. "The detective who found this...
Malik Bendjelloul Dies
Police confirmed Bendjelloul’s death and that no foul play was suspected, but declined to reveal the cause. Bendjelloul’s brother Johar Bendjelloul, however, has stated that the director suffered from depression and had committed suicide.
Bendjelloul was best known for Searching for Sugar Man, a documentary about Sixto Rodriguez, a bluesy folk singer from Detroit who had found a cult following in South Africa after vanishing from the music scene in the 70s. Bendjelloul found the inspiration for the critically acclaimed film during his extensive travels.
"I was traveling around the world for six months in 2006, looking for good stories... and in Cape Town I met Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, the detective of the story," Bendjellouol said in an April 2013 interview. "The detective who found this...
- 5/14/2014
- Uinterview
Malik Bendjelloul, director of the Oscar-winning documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died today in Stockholm at the age of 36. A police spokeswoman talking to the AP would not specify the cause of death, but said that foul play was not involved. Bendjelloul was born in Sweden in 1977 and worked as a child actor there, later going on to become a reporter for a Swedish public broadcasting company. He eventually quit that job to travel the world, during which time he came across the idea for Searching for Sugar Man, a film chronicling the astonishing life and career of elusive ‘70s folk-rocker Sixto Rodriguez. The movie was a phenomenal success with critics and audiences alike (read our own Jada Yuan's account of its rapturous reception at Sundance back in 2012) and garnered numerous accolades, including the Oscar for best documentary in 2013.
- 5/14/2014
- by Anna Silman
- Vulture
This just in from the Associated Press:
Malik Bendjelloul, the acclaimed Swedish film director behind the Oscar-winning music documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” has died. He was 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, but wouldn’t specify the cause of death.
She said no crime is suspected in relation to the film maker’s death.
“Searching for Sugar Man,” which detailed the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, won the Oscar for best documentary in 2013.
Bendjelloul grew up in central and southern Sweden and acted in Swedish TV-series “Ebba and Didrik” as a child during the 1990s. He studied journalism and media-production at the Linnaeus University of Kalmar in southern Sweden and later worked as a reporter for Swedish public broadcaster Svt.
He resigned from that job to travel the world and he got the idea for “Searching for Sugar Man...
Malik Bendjelloul, the acclaimed Swedish film director behind the Oscar-winning music documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” has died. He was 36.
Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, but wouldn’t specify the cause of death.
She said no crime is suspected in relation to the film maker’s death.
“Searching for Sugar Man,” which detailed the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, won the Oscar for best documentary in 2013.
Bendjelloul grew up in central and southern Sweden and acted in Swedish TV-series “Ebba and Didrik” as a child during the 1990s. He studied journalism and media-production at the Linnaeus University of Kalmar in southern Sweden and later worked as a reporter for Swedish public broadcaster Svt.
He resigned from that job to travel the world and he got the idea for “Searching for Sugar Man...
- 5/13/2014
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
The Oscar-winning director was found dead in Stockholm.
Malik Bendjelloul, the director of Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died aged 36.
He was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday night, according to Swedish police.
No cause of death was released but police said there was no crime suspected in relation to the filmmaker’s death.
Searching for Sugar Man was Bendjelloul’s only credit as a director but it was an staggering start to a seemingly promising career. Centred on the improbable (but true) tale of Us singer-songwriter Rodriguez, the film explored how the musician became a cult hero and bestseller in South Africa during Apartheid despite barely selling any records in the Us.
The film, which was directed, produced, edited and co-written by Bendjelloul, received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 where it won the audience award and special jury prize. It went on to win prizes all over the world...
Malik Bendjelloul, the director of Oscar-winning music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has died aged 36.
He was found dead in Stockholm on Tuesday night, according to Swedish police.
No cause of death was released but police said there was no crime suspected in relation to the filmmaker’s death.
Searching for Sugar Man was Bendjelloul’s only credit as a director but it was an staggering start to a seemingly promising career. Centred on the improbable (but true) tale of Us singer-songwriter Rodriguez, the film explored how the musician became a cult hero and bestseller in South Africa during Apartheid despite barely selling any records in the Us.
The film, which was directed, produced, edited and co-written by Bendjelloul, received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2012 where it won the audience award and special jury prize. It went on to win prizes all over the world...
- 5/13/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.