Review of Searching for Sugar Man (2012) by Katie B — 06 Jun 2013

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Director Malik Bendjelloul has created a triumphant, visually stunning documentary in Searching for Sugar Man, the story behind the fate of enigmatic 1970s US folk musician, Rodriguez. It went on to be awarded the World Cinema Documentary Audience Award and the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize at Sundance, capturing both the hearts of audiences and the panel of experts.

The majority of the audience are likely to enter the cinema having never heard of Detroit-born Sixto Rodriguez. Largely unappreciated by his home country and dropped by his record label, dramatic rumours circulated of an untimely demise on stage, including tales of Rodriguez dousing himself with petrol before igniting a flame. Having faded from obscurity into complete invisibility, Rodriguez's music later strikes a chord with apartheid South Africa, turning him into a working class hero. Two South African fans, a journalist and a record store owner, set out to discover the truth behind the rumours. They are astonished by what their difficult and dedicated search reveals, eventually aided by the introduction of early internet technology. Rodriguez is alive and well; a father living a modest existence in Detroit. As we get to know the man behind the myth, it becomes apparent that this is not a musician who would resort to suicide because of his lack of fame and fortune.

A substantial portion of the film concentrates on the mystery behind the royalties that Rodriguez's overwhelming success in South Africa should have earned him and the displacement or theft of these rewards. Financial questions are ultimately left unanswered, overshadowed by the soundtrack and by Rodriguez's humanity and complete lack of materialism or bitterness. The audience is not presented with a full timeline of Rodriguez's life prior to being dropped from the record label, though we learn of his occupation as a laborer and that he has fathered three daughters. Although some are sure to be left frustrated by unresolved questions, this adds appeal to the documentary's mysterious subject.

If you entered the cinema having never heard of Rodriguez, you'll leave it uplifted with a feeling of warmth and an urgency to get online and purchase his criminally overlooked back catalogue.