tell the truth about his death. anyone in the music business as passionate Once they discover he is alive, a sikshow vic- about [Rodriguez]. [Cold Fact producer] Mike tory tour is arranged, and after the first night, Theodore was in touch with Clarence and he the percussionist in Rodriguez's backing band ended up convincing Clarence that we were Rock Docs Reach figures theyare in the middle of an extraordi- the right fit." nary event and gets a friend to film the shows. Light in the Attic reissued Cold Fact in Au- Without that footage, this unbelievable story gust 2008 and Coming From Reality in May Beyond Theaters might feel like a hoax. 2009. Sullivan was key in getting Rodriguez Sony Pictures Classics co -presidents Torn back onstage as well, booking him at Joe's Pub Bernard and Michael Barker bought the North in New York and the Echo in Los Angeles in roduction chiefs at film studios have that said, 'We're all equal,"' says "Big East American rights to "Sugar Man" prior to the 2008, then in London and Chicago, where he their eyes focused on the box-office Express" director Emmett Malloy, who Sundance screening, without seeing it first. opened for Animal Collective the following Presults of "Katy Perry: Part of Me," also shot the White Stripes film "Under (The film has been sold in 20 other territories, year. A few dozen dates followed-San Fran- which pulled in slightly more than $10 mil- Great White Northern Lights." "No record most recently Japan and South Africa.] Bernard cisco, Vancouver, Seattle, Atlanta-but the lion on 2,700 screens in its first four days labels, just old-fashioned handshakes. All read the description and decided, "If it's halfreissues didn't spark the interest the way the of release, according to Box Office Mojo- the music was cleared from the start, which as good as what I read, then it's worth having. documentary has. a number that neither encourages nor gave the company that funded this, S2BN, And it's twice as good as what I read." While Sullivan was negotiating for Ro- crushes future performance -driven bio- the unique ability to go out free and clear Rights in hand, the film was screened driguez's music rights, Malik Bendjelloul, a graphical documentaries. to [sell the film]. The fact that the film com- for Columbia Records chairman/CEO Rob documentarian for Swedish TV, was traveling "There are four or pany could supply Stringer, which led to more of Sony coming through Spanish-speaking countries in the six films sitting on the rights worldwide with onboard, and a late -July release date was set. Americas and Africa looking for stories that runway," one studio no limits like a five-day "It's a great end -of -the -summer movie that could be told in six -minute segments. His trip, executive said prior window made it big." can carry into the fall and catch the returning undertaken in 2006, was going well. to the opening of "Big Easy Ex- college students," Bernard says. It's going to "1 found six stories Hiked-one in Ethio- Perry's picture. press" went on sale be in the marketplace fora long, long time be- pia, one more in South Africa, one in Mexico," The 3-D film follows June 26 and was not cause the potential is way beyond the music Bendjelloul says. "I was already happy, and in the wake of "Jus- only the top seller audience. I call it the 'Shawshank Redemp- then I found [Rodriguez's] story and it was tin Bieber: Never Say among documenta- tion' of documentaries." 10 times better. It was the best story I had Never," which grossed ries and music films, In 1970, the only ever heard. It was a Cinderella $73 million in theaters but also in iTunes' person who had story, but even better. It had a last year (according to top 30 of all films for an equal amount great soundtrack." Box Office Mojo) and more than a week. It of faith in the man Bendjelloul, a rail -thin revitalized interest in "Big Easy arrives on DVD July 24 with a half-hour of born Sixto Rodri- young man whose passion for concert films. Express" stars extra footage. OLD CROW guez was Clarence Rodriguez comes through in a Already in the MEDICINE While "Big Easy Express" is riding the on- Avant, who made the constant state of exuberance, works is a Green Day SHOW (above) line rails, Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulos singer/songwriter his is telling this tale on the patio documentary on the and EDWARD are taking their film, "The Source," out for SHARPE & THE first signing at Sus- of a West Hollywood, Calif, making of its upcom- MAGNETIC a bike ride. "The Source," which chronicles sex Records. Avant hotel restaurant where Ro- ing albums iUno!, /Dos! ZEROS (below) the Source Family cult in Los Angeles and jokes in the film that driguez, seated beside him and iTre! that could be its band and restaurant, will be the featured Rodriguez's debut. in his customary ready for the Sundance Film Festival in Jan- film on Aug.18 at the Boone Dawdle in Co- Cold Fact, sold six cop- dark pastel suit, is uary. Metallica plans to film shows in Mexico lumbia, Mo. The event includes an optional ies-and it's possible listening to it all for City in August for a documentary as well. bike ride, a party at a winery, the screening he's not that far off, the umpteenth time. While "Searching for Sugar Man" is a and a performance by Chicago band Cave. as the album never charted, Uncharacteristically, prime example of festival exposure lead- "Eventually we want to tour it like a rock even locally. he interrupts. ing to theatrical distribution, other music - band, going further than traditional theat- Still, Avant stuck with him "Cinderella? As related programming from the festival rical by trying to get it into music festivals," and sent Rodriguez to London opposed to Sleeping circuit has found unique ways to get in Wille says, noting that she hopes to combine to record a second album, Beauty? I knew where front of audiences. "Marley" became the screenings with pop-up restaurants and Coming From Reality, with I was-and I like my first film to be screened through a link on concerts featuring the music of the Source producer Steve Rowland. Re- family," Rodriguez Facebook; Paul Simon's Graceland story, Family band, YaHoWha13."We can do it be- leased in 1971, it, too, flopped says, before letting out "Under African Skies," appeared on A&E cause it appeals to our core audience." just as Sussex was enjoy-The "searching a hearty laugh. and in Sony Legacy's deluxe editions of Chicago indie label Drag City Records ing its first hit, Withers'for Sugar Man" They have become a curious duo on this the album; and "Shut Up and Play the Hits," has already signed on to release a top five single "Ain't Noisutcio r:arcelics(stuor(top); journey-Bendjelloul, a music fan who can't Dylan Southern and Will Lovelace's film on soundtrack to "The Source." Sunshine." Cut from theof Rodriguez's believe Rodriguez's work was overlooked, and the final performance by LCD Soundsys- Ice -T's documentary on the roots of hip - Sussex/Doter, Rodriguezdebut, Cold Fact. Rodriguez, who calls himselfa "musical/politi- tem, will play in more than 120 theaters for hop, "Something From Nothing: The Art of walked away from music cal" artist and is just as likely to discuss Syria one night only (July18). Rap," had its world premiere at Sundance and worked in construction and demolition, or political oppression as the music business "Big Easy Express," featuring Mumford and went the traditional route without any concurrently earning a bachelor's degree in or journalism. & Sons, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic bells and whistles. It played 157 theaters for philosophy and raising three daughters. He At Q&As, Bendjelloul gladly defers to the Zeros, Old Crow Medicine Show and a train, a week in mid -June, grossing $150,000 that never left Detroit. subject of his film, letting him tell parts of hopped from South by Southwest and the weekend, according to its distributor In- Fast -forward to 2002. Northern Irish DJ/ the story that aren't onscreen. Truth be told, Los Angeles Film Festival to an exclusive domina. The soundtrack, released digitally producer David Holmes put Rodriguez's song Bendjelloul knows more about the story than run at Tunes. by Sony, has sold fewer than 1,000 copies, "Sugar Man" on a mixtape that caught the at- Rodriguez: He shot three-quarters of the movie "The bands entered into a partnership according to Nielsen SoundScan. -PG tention of Matt Sullivan, then in the early days before he ever met his subject; only because he ofhis reissue label Light in the Attic in Seattle. had so much footage did Rodriguez agree to But as it was for many-and this is a key part appear on camera. of the "Searching for Sugar Man" story-fmd- "After he showed it to me I felt he had ing information about Rodriguez was beyond enough in there without me," Rodriguez says. difficult. It took a couple of years for Sullivan "I'm only in the film eight minutes . He to track down a copy of Cold Fact, eventually picked out everything and I try to have a little buying an Australian CD on eBay. say in it. He was kind to me." After falling in love with the music, Sulli- "There will be an interest in the soundtrack van began his own search for "Sugar Man," a as a stand-alone expression," Sony Legacy's journey that connected him with a record store Block says.