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SUGARMAN to be featured on 60 Minutes – We Are Movie Geeks

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SUGARMAN to be featured on 60 Minutes

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For those of you who have seen the superb documentary SEARCHING FOR SUGARMAN or if you’re still thinking about seeing it, here’s some news about the film. It will be featured in a piece on October 7’s edition of the long-running CBS news magazine TV show ” 60 Minutes “. Now if you’re going to record it with a DVR device be sure and allow extra end time in case the football game runs over ( 30 minutes would be safe, I think ). Here’s the press release:

New York (October 3, 2012) – CBS “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon will spotlight artist/musician Rodriguez and director Malik Bendjelloul’s critically-acclaimed documentary Searching For Sugar Man on the show this Sunday, October 7th at 7pm ET/PT.  The film was released by Sony Pictures Classics on July 27th and is continuing to expand nationwide. The film’s soundtrack album is now available from Legacy Recordings/Light In The Attic.

Searching For Sugar Man opened the 2012 Sundance Film Festival, where it won a World Cinema Audience Award (Documentary) and a World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Prize for its Celebration of the Artistic Spirit.  It has become an audience and critics’ favorite premiering at this year’s South By South West Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Festival, Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival and was hosted by Alec Baldwin at the Hamptons International Film Festival’s Summer Docs series.

Searching For Sugar Man chronicles the improbable story of Sixto Diaz Rodriguez, an uncompromising artist on the brink of success in the early 1970s who’d taken American protest music into stark new urban territory with two classic cult albums–Cold Fact in 1970 and Coming From Reality in 1971–before vanishing from public view after both albums tanked.  In a twist of history, a bootleg copy of Cold Fact found its way to South Africa, where the album’s streetwise narratives of chaos, corruption, revolution and redemption became anthems of the anti-apartheid movement.  Virtually unheard in America, Rodriguez’s music was threatening enough to be banned by the government of South Africa, where the enigmatic Rodriguez was as popular as Elvis and the Rolling Stones, as revered as Bob Dylan or the Beatles.  Searching For Sugar Man brings Rodriguez face-to-face with a nation of fans he didn’t know existed while introducing a whole new generation of listeners to his music through an incredible story about hope, inspiration, and the resonating power of music.

The success of Searching For Sugar Man has led to an incredible renaissance for Rodriguez, who appeared at this year’s Newport Folk Festival and has a 22-date American headline tour in the offing.  On Friday, September 21, Rodriguez played the Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival in Columbus, Missouri, in a concert featuring Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeroes as backing ensemble.  Rodriguez will embark on a major tour of the United Kingdom–he’s already sold more than 8,000 tickets in London!–and Ireland beginning November 16.  On August 14, the artist made his national television debut performing “Crucify Your Mind” on the “Late Show” with David Letterman.  NPR’s popular “World Cafe” will air a Searching For Sugar Man special on October 18.

Rodriguez, his music and the film have been drawing praise from all quarters including celebrity fans sharing their views on Twitter and other social media.  Michael Moore tweeted, “All agreed it was our best Opening Night ever. A stunning, incredible documentary ‘Searching for Sugarman’ had audiences leaping 2 their feet,” after the film’s premiere at this year’s Traverse City Film Festival.  “I was blown away by Searching For Sugar Man. Beautiful film. Must see.,” tweeted Susan Sarandon.

“…If it’s playing where you are, do NOT miss it.  Astonishing….,” wrote Roger Ebert on Twitter, where Jonah Hill wrote, “Just saw an unbelievable documentary called ‘Searching For Sugar Man’. It’s about an amazing 60s musician named Rodriguez.  Buy his music!” and Lance Armstrong tweeted, “….I couldn’t stop listening to the @sugar_man soundtrack.  Incredible music and an even better story.”

“I just watched this documentary and it is incredible, moving and real!,” raved Kid Rock on his Facebook page.  “This movie not only tells an incredible story but will also turn music lovers on to some unbelievable songs.”

“Searching For Sugar Man gave me a brand new hero,” said Sara Bareilles.  “Rodriguez and his story are exactly what I love about the magic of music, and I left the theatre with a heart full of hope.”

“Rodriguez is an inspiration…and his music is as potent now as it ever was,” said Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys.

The growing list of celebrity fans who’ve tweeted their support for Rodriguez includes Diplo, Scooter Braun, Sondre Lerche, Natalie Maines, Silversun Pickups, Steve Nash, Branden Campbell, Tom Green, Mario Batali (“Wow.  Sugar Man!!….Go see it ASAP !!), Paloma Faith, Roseanne Barr (“Rodriguez!!!! Genius!!!….”), Zach Galifianakis, Pharrell Williams, Ron Howard and others.

The first Rodriguez album to chart in the states, the Searching For Sugar Man soundtrack reached #3 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart, #6 on the Folk chart and #163 on the Billboard 200.  The album hit #13 on the album chart in Sweden, where it peaked at #2 on the iTunes chart. And, in South Africa, Searching For Sugar Man went Top 10, reaching #6 on the charts.

Click here for a preview of RODRIGUEZ on 60 MINUTES:
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7424316n&tag=contentMain;cbsCarousel

For local theatrical listings please visit:
www.facebook.com/SearchingForSugarMan

Click here for free songs from the hit soundtrack for Searching For Sugar Man:
SugarMan: http://soundcloud.com/legacyrecordings/searchingforsugarman-sugar-man

Jim Batts was a contestant on the movie edition of TV's "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" in 2009 and has been a member of the St. Louis Film Critics organization since 2013.