Originally shared by Buddhini Samarasinghe
Searching for Sugar Man
If you watch just one documentary this year (or month, or week -depending on how often you watch them), make it this one. In the late 1960s, amidst the height of the apartheid in South Africa, a bootleg recording of an album titled ‘Cold Fact’ by a mysterious American artist known as Rodriguez suddenly became a phenomenon. But his album failed miserably in America, and there were rumours about a gruesome onstage suicide – one in which he set fire to himself. After that, he disappeared into oblivion. But two South African fans turned into musical detectives to find out more about what really happened to him. The story is incredible, with an unbelievable plot-twist. I won’t give it away, but it is a humbling, poignant story that was gripping from start to finish.
And it goes without saying, but the soundtrack is amazing – all original music from Rodriguez.
For those in the UK, you can watch this on BBC iPlayer: http://goo.gl/e313nI
For those outside the UK, this link should work: Sugar Man
Full album ‘Cold Fact’ on YouTube: Sixto Rodriguez- Cold Fact full album