Malik Bendjelloul ~ Searching for Sugarman & Sixto Rodriguez

Malik Bendjelloul

photographer unknown

On October 8, 2012, I wrote an article on The Family Dogg & Sixto Rodriguez. It was prompted by a program I'd seen on television, 60 Minutes. I was delighted and amazed to learn about the saga and of the time, effort and money Bendjelloul had spent uncovering the story of musician Sixto Rodriguez and making a film of it. It was important to me because of the influence the music by Rodriguez had had on me in the early seventies.

I was so deeply affected by the memories the program stirred up in me, I wrote an article about it in less than a day; that almost never happens. 

After I wrote it, I found Bendjelloul on Facebook and dropped him a line to thank him for his brilliant project. Although he was famous now, he had the time and courtesy to reply to me.

"From: Facebook
To: Styrous
Sent: Sunday, October 14, 2012 1:45 PM
Subject: New message from Malik Bendjelloul

Hi Sty, Thanks a lot for your message! And... very nice and initiated blog, you know your stuff!

keep up the good work!
all the best,
Malik"

To say I was blown away that he even took the time and effort to reply is putting it mildly but it demonstrates the caliber of the man and why I include it in this blog entry. Even though he was probably very busy, he responded to me; a rarity by many people much less a celebrity in today's world. 

I was more than thrilled when I heard he had won the Oscar for best documentary at the Academy Awards a few months later on Feb. 24, 2013.

 

Malik Bendjelloul accepts the Oscar

for best documentary feature, 

"Searching for Sugar Man" 

during the Academy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles  

file photo from

(AP / Invision / Chris Pizzello/Invision)

Yesterday, I was horrified and shocked when I found out Bendjelloul had jumped in front of a train and committed suicide a month ago on May 13, 2014. I just couldn't believe a man who was so young and talented would do this. But this is not the first time I have been touched by a tragedy such as this. And every time I have not been able to understand the demons in a person's mind that would drive them to such a violent action as this. I probably never will.

The incident was covered by The Hollywood Reporter.

The documentary film, Searching for Sugar Man, is available on Netflix.

I hope Malik is finally free of his demons!

Styrous ~ June 12, 2013

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