The Oscar-winning Swedish filmmaker reportedly took his own life.
Malik Bendjelloul's death has been confirmed to be a suicide by his elder brother, Johar. The 36 year-old Swedish filmmaker was found dead in Stockholm yesterday but the police did not confirm where he was found or what caused his death.
Malik Bendjelloul Committed Suicide, Confirms Brother Johal.
Speaking to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet, via The Daily Mail, Johar Bendjelloul said "I can confirm that it was suicide and that he had been depressed for a short period of time."
"Life is not always so easy...It's the worst. I don't know how to handle it," added the TV host and journalist.
Watch The 'Searching For Sugar Man' Trailer:
Though he had acted as a child and had worked in the media during his early career, Bendjelloul made his name as the director of the 2012 documentary, Searching For Sugar Man, which won the Best Documentary Oscar at the 2013 awards.
The movie chronicled two South African men's successful quest to prove that American musician Sixto Rodriguez, known for his song 'Sugar Man,' was still alive. Bendjelloul worked on the film for four years and presented it as the opening title in the documentary part of the Sundance Film Festival in 2012.
Bendjelloul Had Enjoyed Unprecedented Success With 'Searching For Sugar Man.'
The former child actor, not only earned global critical acclaim with his feature directorial debut, but he also rejuvenated interest in Rodriguez's music. His film focussed on the phenomenon that had seen the Detroit native Rodriguez become popular in South Africa and the country's fight against apartheid.
"I was traveling around the world for six months in 2006, looking for good stories...and in Cape Town I met Stephen 'Sugar' Segerman, the detective of the story," Bendjellouol recalled of his inspiration to make Searching For Sugar Man.
See Malik Bendjelloul & Simon Chinn Win Their Oscar In 2012:
"The detective who found this guy who was supposedly dead for 35 years...and then he found out that Rodriguez was alive," he continued, adding "I immediately thought, this was the best story I'd heard in my life!" he said.
More: Rodriguez seals post-documentary comeback by opening Montreux Jazz festival.
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