Oscar Winning Director Commits Suicide at 36

Date: 14-05-2014 1:15 pm (9 years ago) | Author: Bayo Nelson
- at 14-05-2014 01:15 PM (9 years ago)
(m)
Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul, who won an Oscar for his 2012 documentary “Searching for Sugarman”, committed suicide in Stockholm, his brother said on Wednesday.
I can confirm that it was suicide and that he had been depressed for a short period,” the 36-year old film-maker’s brother Johar Bendjelloul told newspaper Aftonbladet. “Life is not always so easy.
Bendjelloul was found dead in his apartment on Tuesday. Police spokeswoman Pia Glenvik did not specify the cause of his death but said no crime was suspected.
He won the Academy Award for best documentary feature last year for “Searching for Sugarman”, telling the story of a musician who became famous without knowing it.
Sixto Rodriguez made two albums in the early 1970s but then quit music. After disappearing, his records became huge hits, particularly in South Africa.
“Searching for Sugarman” won various other awards, including best documentary prizes from Britain´s BAFTA and the Directors Guild of America, as well as two world cinema prizes at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
Rodriguez told newspaper Expressen that he was shocked over the filmmaker’s death following a concert in Chicago.
Malik was a fantastic person,” he said. “He was both unique and very friendly.
Born to an Algerian father and a Swedish mother in 1977 in the small southern town of Ystad, Bendjelloul moved to Stockholm as his career took off.
He first discovered Rodriguez while travelling for six months in Africa in 2006, and was fascinated by his story.
Rodriquez, the son of a Mexican immigrant family, was discovered by two producers in a bar. They helped him record his first album, “Cold Fact,” in 1970.
It was a critical success, but did not sell well. His second album, “Coming from Reality” also showed talent, but flopped commercially.
Rodriguez gave up his musical ambitions and ended up working in the construction industry.
But while his records failed to take off at home, a bootleg copy made it to South Africa where it struck a chord with progressive young whites exasperated with the apartheid system.
With the artist untraceable, bizarre stories began to emerge about him, including one that claimed that he had committed suicide by setting himself on fire on stage.
In the end, the curiosity of two young fans broke through the myths: they found he was still alive, living in the United States. They brought him to South Africa where he was greeted as a hero in 1998, playing six sold-out concerts.
“Searching for Sugarman” tells the story of those two fans’ search for Rodriguez, and of his musical renaissance.
Since the film gained international success, Rodriguez has relaunched his career filling arenas with new fans.


Posted: at 14-05-2014 01:15 PM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
- daveobahon at 14-05-2014 01:47 PM (9 years ago)
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no b me go 1st comment
Posted: at 14-05-2014 01:47 PM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- dareper at 14-05-2014 02:01 PM (9 years ago)
(m)
Why he kill im self naa, after becoming famous.
Posted: at 14-05-2014 02:01 PM (9 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- paulohking at 14-05-2014 02:03 PM (9 years ago)
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RIP,
Posted: at 14-05-2014 02:03 PM (9 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- ken222 at 14-05-2014 02:12 PM (9 years ago)
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no b me go 2nd comment
Posted: at 14-05-2014 02:12 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
Reply
- chicco77 at 14-05-2014 02:14 PM (9 years ago)
(f)
RIP
Posted: at 14-05-2014 02:14 PM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Reply
- beneno at 14-05-2014 02:16 PM (9 years ago)
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life is more than we can see, Roll Eyes  Roll Eyes  Roll Eyes  Roll Eyes RIP  
Posted: at 14-05-2014 02:16 PM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
Reply
- christianity at 14-05-2014 03:14 PM (9 years ago)
(m)
rip
Posted: at 14-05-2014 03:14 PM (9 years ago) | Gistmaniac
Reply
- graceoneday at 14-05-2014 03:21 PM (9 years ago)
(m)
Sorry na em be ur name
Posted: at 14-05-2014 03:21 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
Reply
- Larry28 at 14-05-2014 04:11 PM (9 years ago)
(f)
RIP
Posted: at 14-05-2014 04:11 PM (9 years ago) | Hero
Reply
- queenbabe at 14-05-2014 04:22 PM (9 years ago)
(f)
Nawa oh
Posted: at 14-05-2014 04:22 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
Reply
- akinmanchy at 14-05-2014 05:22 PM (9 years ago)
(m)
Suicide is never the cure to depression....RIP

Posted: at 14-05-2014 05:22 PM (9 years ago) | Hero
Reply

fire TRENDING GISTS fire

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