“Searching for Sugar Man” (which got rave reviews from film critic Niclas Goldberg in Nordstjernan some time ago: 'Searching for Sugar Man' - the enigma of a legend) a documentary about the folk singer Rodriguez, has received an Oscar nomination.

“Searching for Sugar Man” is a movie directed by Swedish film director Malik Bendjelloul. In the film, Bendjelloul follows the epic search of two South Africans to track down the elusive Rodriguez, who has become a legend in their country while living a life in relative obscurity in Detroit. The nomination was announced early Thursday morning at a press conference in Beverly Hills.

“It feels surrealistic, crazy. Oscar is, the word itself, it’s something you’ve heard about since you were a kid. It never occurred to me that it was something anyone ever achieved. I mean, I’m from Sweden. It’s completely crazy,” Bendjelloul told the Free Press from Los Angeles. He further said that he had expected to get a phone call around 5:30 in the morning if he earned a nomination, when he woke up later than that, he though the film had failed to make it into the best documentary category. Then he went online. “I checked my e-mails and I was like, ‘Wait, wait, no, no I got it, I got it!’,” he said with a laugh.
Bendjelloul credits Rodriguez with being the key to the film’s success. “This is the most amazing story ever. The story of Rodriguez, it was like the Cinderella aspect of it, a man lives his whole life without knowing he’s a superstar. When I heard the story, I thought it was the best story I ever heard in my life.”
The 85th Oscars is broadcast live on ABC on February 24.

Sugar Man by Malik Bendjelloul / Sixto Rodriguez, official Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL5TffdOQ7g

The original music by Sixto Rodriguez:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qh-99_1k3mE

Director Malik Bendjelloul and Rodriguez Talk 'Searching for Sugar Man'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dn2b-9RKB8