‘Flix Flick: “Searching for Sugar Man”

Directed by Malik Bendjelloul, Searching for Sugar Man is up for Outstanding Documentary Feature at this month’s Academy Awards—and rightly so. With a title like Searching for Sugar Man, one can assume correctly that the film will take its viewer on a quest, a search for someone—and that someone happens to be the late ‘60s/early ’70s singer-songwriter, Rodriguez. Never heard of him? Don’t worry, not many Americans have. Yet ask anyone in South Africa and the answer is a definitive, “Yes!” We’re talking Elvis-caliber or Rolling-Stones-caliber, “Yes!”

Rodriguez (first name, Sixto) was a Detroit-based musician who released only two albums in the heyday of Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Don McLean. Those two albums, Cold Fact and Coming From Reality got lost amidst the plethora of similar musical offerings in that period. However, for the South-African record-store owner, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman and the music journalist, Craig Bartholomew-Strydom, those two albums are seen as the catalysts for a significant political and cultural shift… unbeknownst to Rodriguez. In the film, Segerman and Strydom reflect on how they set out in the ‘90s to discover what happened to the man who, through his musical storytelling, shaped South-African history.

It was a difficult quest to start, as Rodriguez became a mythical figure for many South Africans. Surrounded by so many rumors, he almost became the musical equivalent of Big Foot or the Loch Ness Monster. Was he still alive? If he was, where was he? Was he dead? If he was, how did he die? And thus the legend was born.

Searching for Sugar Man gives the viewer the chance to finally hear Rodriguez’s music. Highlights, of which there are many, include: Sugar Man, the vividly poetic Street Boy and I’ll Slip Away, and the incredibly infectious I Wonder. One hears a voice so soothing, lyrics so heartfelt, it’s a mystery in itself why Rodriguez never joined the ranks of a Dylan, Baez or McLean in the U.S. Thankfully, we now get to hear those songs. Good songwriting is good songwriting; a great voice is still a great voice, regardless of the 45-year delay. The film also incorporates interviews with music executives and producers, as well as South African and Detroit residents alike, all trying to piece together the mysterious facets of this American folklore.

For any artist or creative type who thinks their work will never be seen or heard or amount to anything of significance, Searching for Sugar Man is for you. For anyone who felt their past work was ignored or went undetected, are you really sure about that? It’s a testament to passion; to the never-say-never adage; to humility; to the idea that real significance should not be held within the parameters of dollar signs and material possessions. It’s a reminder of the power and importance of music, not just as a form of fun entertainment and welcome escapism, but as a possible way to connect people. After all, one country’s flop is another country’s salvation. BSo