Searching for Sugar Man

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Movie
German title Searching for Sugar Man
Original title Searching for Sugar Man
Country of production Sweden
UK
original language English
Publishing year 2012
length 86 minutes
Rod
Director Malik Bendjelloul
script Malik Bendjelloul
production Malik Bendjelloul,
Simon Chinn
music Sixto Rodriguez
camera Camilla Skagerström
cut Malik Bendjelloul,
Bernhard Winkler

Searching for Sugar Man is a Swedish - British documentary film directed by Malik Bendjelloul in 2012 , which describes the search for the musician Sixto Rodriguez by two South African music fans . At the 2013 Academy Awards , the film was named best documentary .

content

The film documents the search of the two South Africans Stephen "Sugar" Segerman and Craig Bartholomew Strydom for the American musician Sixto Rodriguez . He had released two records in the United States in 1970 and 1971 , which soon became extremely popular in South Africa , including the eponymous song Sugar Man .

Due to the apartheid policy of the time, the country was internationally isolated, so that it was hardly possible to get information about the artist, a son of Mexican immigrants. As a result, legends developed over time; for example, it was rumored that Rodriguez shot himself on the stage. He himself did not learn of his fame, as the record company, which had terminated his contract in 1971, did not tell him about the success.

Since one of his daughters contacted a website to search for Rodriguez, contact between the South Africans and the musician in his home town of Detroit can be arranged. The musician then travels to South Africa, where he gives a series of acclaimed concerts, all of which are sold out.

Reviews

The German film critic Hans-Ulrich Pönack gave the film its top rating of 5 Pönis (= "lonely top"):

“What a force field, what a force magnet of great, inspiring, detective portrait cinema! With a rustic 'thriller' taste. And an atmospheric discovery / discovery musicality. "

Spiegel Online wrote:

“The film 'Searching For Sugar Man' investigates the exciting questions of why he was a star in a parallel world without knowing it, where his millions sank and why he was considered dead. It also offers moving images from the first South African concerts of the man believed dead a few years ago. Ultimately, the film is a beautiful pop fairy tale with songs that could be classics worldwide. "

The Süddeutsche Zeitung stated:

“ Searching for Sugar Man is the incredible and fairytale-like story of a star who shouldn't be, a brilliant musician whose time had not yet come. In his cinematic journey, director Malik Bendjelloul portrays the quiet side of fame and a fascinating personality. Always there are the songs by Rodriguez, which are worth listening to at last. "

Deutschlandradio Kultur criticized:

“Documentaries like 'Searching for Sugarman' (...) tell of the rediscovery of lost artists. But the audience often only gets half the story. (…) The fairy tale of the unsuspecting musician collapses when one finally understands that Rodriguez did not run through life unsuspecting, but knew very early on that his music was known and appreciated outside the USA. That happened in Australia in the 1970s. Rodriguez flew there and had huge success at concerts. The film simply leaves that out, in favor of the touching South Africa story, which was actually told back in the 90s when Sixto Rodriguez flew to South Africa and gave concerts there. But even more important is that point where the director lets five be: 'I didn't try to clear up the royalty issue. Because the story is really not about money, 'said Malik Bendjelloul in an interview two years ago. (...) The film is not really looking for 'Sugarman' as it pretends, but for a few sugar-sweet emotions. "

Awards

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Criticism ( Memento of the original from May 15, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. at poenack.de @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.poenack.de
  2. ↑ Christoph Dallach: Folk-Pop-Legend Rodriguez: Dead heroes live longer. In: Spiegel Online. October 26, 2012, accessed January 18, 2014 .
  3. ^ Criticism at sueddeutsche.de
  4. ↑ embellished documentaries - The Legend of rediscovered artists. A conversation with Jürgen Kalwa , In: Deutschlandradio Kultur, contribution from June 24, 2014, accessed on April 15, 2017.
  5. ^ Robert Dex: Full list of Bafta award winners. In: The Independent. February 10, 2013, accessed March 18, 2017 .