Swedish film director Malik Bendjelloul has been found dead.
According to the Associated Press, 36-year-old Bendjelloul, who wrote, directed and produced the Oscar-winning music documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" was found dead in Stockholm, Sweden on Tuesday.
Police have yet to specify the cause of death. Officials do not suspect foul play, but several reports have indicated that Bendjelloul, who is known as the man who "chased the world for stories to tell," committed suicide.
"I can confirm my brother has taken his own life," Johar Bendjelloul said in a text message to Reuters. Johar told another news organization that his brother had struggled with depression in the past.
"It seems so unbelievable," British film producer Simon Chinn told the Associated Press over the telephone. "I saw him two weeks ago in London. He was so full of life, hope and optimism and happiness, and looking forward to the future and future collaborations. We were talking about working together and talking about specific ideas, so the idea that he is no longer is just too hard to process."
The music documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" detailed the life and career of Mexican-American folk-rocker Sixto Rodriguez, before his disappearance from the music scene. The documentary followed two South African journalists in their quest to track Rodriguez down. For decades, Rodriguez was unaware that his music enjoyed huge popularity in South Africa
The project won an Oscar for best documentary in 2013, making it the first time a Swedish film had won an Oscar since Ingmar Bergman's "Fanny and Alexander" in 1984. "Searching for Sugar Man" also won several other prizes, including a British BAFTA for best documentary and the Swedish Guldbagge award.
During his Oscar acceptance speech, Bendjelloul gave thanks to Rodriguez, calling him, "one of the best singers ever." The New York Times called "Searching for Sugar Man," a "hugely appealing documentary about fans, faith and an enigmatic Age of Aquarius musician who burned bright and hopeful before disappearing."
Bendjelloul was born in Ystad, Sweden, on Sept. 14, 1977, and grew up in central and southern Sweden. He acted in Swedish TV-series "Ebba and Didrik" as a child during the 1990s and studied journalism and media-production at the Linnaeus University of Kalmar. Bendjelloul has made short documentary features for Swedish television featuring interviews with musicians like Björk and Elton John.
Bendjelloul is survived by his father, former doctor Hacène Bendjelloul, his mother and brother.
