The Model

Searching for Sugarman

Searching for Sugarman Cert: 12A
Dir: Malik Benjelloul. Sweden-UK, 2012, 86 minutes
Thurs. 27 Sep. at 8pm. Wed. Oct. 03 at 8pm.

Filmmaker, Malik Bendjelloul sets out to find Rodriguez, a staggeringly talented performer from Detroit, discovering that this total unknown in the U.S. had caught on in a big way in South Africa, where his anti-establishment anthems struck a chord with disaffected white liberals, who bought his records in such numbers he outsold Elvis!
The fans there insist that Rodriguez’s career ended spectacularly when he burned himself to death on stage. Could it really be true? Find out in this lovingly assembled tribute to rock’s coolest mystery man. It’s an amazing story, which proves just as life affirming as The Buena Vista Social Club. Unmissable.
The Irish Times****