Two South African music lovers embark on a mission to uncover the fate of an obscure, 1970s-era U.S. rocker whose debut album became a surprise hit in their home country, and uncover a shocking secret along the way. Sixto Diaz Rodriguez had the kind of musical career that every aspiring rock star fears -- lauded by critics but ignored by the public, he released two albums before unceremoniously disappearing from the spotlight. But while sales of Rodriguez's debut CD Cold Fact fell flat in the U.S., overseas in Australia and South Africa, the fans couldn't get enough. In apartheid-torn South Africa in particular, Cold Fact became something of an anti-establishment classic, eventually going platinum. Later, rumors began to swirl that Rodriguez had suffered a horrible death. When Rodriguez's second album Coming From Reality makes it's belated debut in South Africa, a pair of devoted fans take it upon themselves to uncover the facts surrounding the mysterious musician, and get the surprise of a lifetime while attempting to track the profits from his record sales.
Does that wrap it up for Best Picture or is there more nuance at play? http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/in-contention/posts/argo-wreck-it-ralph-searching-for-sugar-man-win-pga-awards
The rise and fall and rise of Detroit musician Sixto Rodriguez is an irresistible tale, at least as told in Searching for Sugar Man by Swedish TV director and first-time feature documentarian Malik Bendjelloul. In fact, the yarn is too irresis more