Sony Classics Picks Up Sundance Documentary 'Sugar Man'

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired North American rights to "Searching for Sugar Man," Malik Bendjelloul’s directorial debut, the company said Friday.

The movie is a true story about an obscure folksinger called Rodriguez, writing and singing about the hard streets of Detroit in 1970, was considered by many in the music profession to be a talent on the order of Bob Dylan.

Also read: 40 Years Later, Detroit's Bob Dylan Is Discovered in 'Sugar Man'

Earlier Friday, the film sparked a standing ovation -- with the audience both crying and cheering -- when it was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. It premiered at the festival on Thursday night, as the Opening Night Film of the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the festival.

Sony Pictures Classics' "passion for this film combined with their stellar track record makes them the perfect distributors for it," producer Simon Chinn said in a statement.

"Searching for Sugar Man" is produced by Chinn of Red Box Films and executive produced by John Battsek of Passion Pictures in association with Canfield Pictures and The Documentary Company.

See video of Rodriguez performing at the Sundance Film Festival:

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