Searching for Sugar Man
dir. Malik Bendjelloul · 2012
Plot
In the early 1970s, Sixto Rodriguez was a Detroit folksinger who had a short-lived recording career with only two well received but non-selling albums. Unknown to Rodriguez, his musical story continued in South Africa where he became a pop music icon and inspiration for generations. Long rumored there to be dead by suicide, a few fans in the 1990s decided to seek out the truth of their hero's fate. What follows is a bizarrely heartening story in which they found far more in their quest than they ever hoped, while a Detroit construction laborer discovered that his lost artistic dreams came true after all.
Why watch
"Searching for Sugar Man" is a heartwarming documentary that uncovers the extraordinary journey of Sixto Rodriguez, a forgotten musician whose haunting melodies became anthems of hope in South Africa. This film beautifully illustrates the power of music to transcend borders and the redemptive nature of rediscovering one's purpose.