From the Academy Award-winning producer of MAN ON WIRE comes a powerful,
unforgettable music mystery.
In the late ‘60s, a musician was discovered in a Detroit bar by two
celebrated producers who were struck by his soulful melodies and prophetic
lyrics. They recorded an album that they believed was going to secure his
reputation as one of the greatest recording artists of his generation. In fact,
the album bombed and the singer disappeared into obscurity amid rumors of a
gruesome on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its way into apartheid
South Africa and, over the next two decades, it became a phenomenon. Two South
African fans then set out to find out what really happened to their hero. Their
investigation led them to a story more extraordinary than any of the existing
myths about the artist known as Rodriguez.
Reviews
“All music docs are not created equal. Yes, some are formulaic. But some
are beautiful, some are singular, some are marvels of storytelling. And some,
like Searching for Sugar Man, are all three.” New Orleans Times-Picayune
“The information they eventually dislodge about Rodriguez suggests a
secular saint, a deeply good man, whose music is the expression of a blessed
inner being. I hope you're able to see this film. You deserve to. And yes, it
exists because we need for it to.” Roger Ebert
“A musical detective story, this enthralling documentary focuses on a
little-known American musician whose haunting voice and poetic lyrics were
essentially unknown in his own country, but had a massive impact across the
globe.” USA Today
“The truth-is-stranger-than-fiction saga has been a hit on the festival
circuit, winning top documentary prizes at Sundance for Sweden's Bendjelloul.
What sets Searching for Sugar Man apart, though, is the way in which the
filmmaker preserves a sense of mystery in the telling.” LA Times
“Rodriguez's story is almost inconceivable in an obsessively magnified,
heavily hyped Internet era. Which makes it all the more important to be shared.
Listen, be moved, and pass it on.” New York Daily News
“A hugely appealing documentary about fans, faith and an enigmatic Age of
Aquarius musician who burned bright and hopeful before disappearing.” New
York Times
“The tale is better than the telling – and the soundtrack's better
still – but music this monumental demands its moment. Now go and buy the
album.” Total Film