Oscar-Winning Director of ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ Found Dead | Variety

From Variety

Malik Bendjelloul | Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage
Malik Bendjelloul | Alberto E. Rodriguez/WireImage

Director Malik Bendjelloul, whose 2012 documentary “Searching for Sugar Man” won the best documentary Oscar, has been found dead.

He was 36.

Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik told the Associated Press that Bendjelloul died in Stockholm late Tuesday, but wouldn’t specify the cause of death.

“Searching for Sugar Man,” about the life and career of American singer Sixto Rodriguez, won 2013 docu Oscar as well as awards from Bafta, the IDA, the PGA and the DGA.

Born in Sweden, Bendjelloul appeared on TV as a child and then studied journalism and media production. He produced music documentaries for Swedish television and worked as a TV reporter before leaving to travel in Africa and South America.

He filmed the story partly on an iPhone, and the film was accepted as opening night film at Sundance before it was even finished.

“I was backpacking around Africa and South America looking for stories with a camera. I found six stories and this was one of the six. I thought it was the best story I’d ever heard,” he told the Independent newspaper in 2012.

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4 thoughts on “Oscar-Winning Director of ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ Found Dead | Variety

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  1. I am truly sorry to hear about the loss of such a talented filmmaker; thank you again Malik for letting the world know about sugarman.

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