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Oscar-Winning Director Malik Bendjelloul Dies At 36

An Aug. 20, 2012 photo of  documentary filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul. Police in Sweden say the director behind the Oscar-awarded music documentary <em>Searching for Sugar Man</em>, died on Tuesday.
Anders Wiklund
/
AP
An Aug. 20, 2012 photo of documentary filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul. Police in Sweden say the director behind the Oscar-awarded music documentary Searching for Sugar Man, died on Tuesday.

Swedish director Malik Bendjelloul, who won an Oscar last year for his 2012 documentary Searching for Sugar Man, has been found dead in Stockholm at age 36, police and family members confirm.

Reuters reports:

"Stockholm police declined to provide any further details about Bendjelloul's death."

"'What I can say is that there are no suspicions any crime was involved,' Stockholm police duty officer Pia Glenvik said.

"Bendjelloul won an Oscar in 2013 as a first-time filmmaker for Searching for Sugar Man. The film followed two South African journalists who set out to find what had become of Sixto Rodriguez, an American singer who was popular in South Africa who seemingly vanished without a trace."

Variety says:

"Born in Sweden, Bendjelloul appeared on TV as a child and then studied journalism and media production. He produced music documentaries for Swedish television and worked as a TV reporter before leaving to travel in Africa and South America."

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Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.