'Sugar Man' wins Oscar for best documentary

"Searching for Sugar Man,'' the heartwarming chronicle of a forgotten musician's rediscovery, has won the Academy Award for best documentary.

Directed by the Swedish filmmaker Malik Bendjelloul, "Searching for Sugar Man'' tells the story of the Detroit singer-songwriter Rodriguez who disappeared from public after releasing an album in the early `70s, but developed an unlikely cult following in South Africa.

The other nominees Sunday night were "5 Broken Cameras,'' `'The Gatekeepers,'' `'How to Survive a Plague'' and "The Invisible War.''

The voting process for the documentary category underwent an overhaul this year intended to limit the nomination of obscure films, and ensure that a larger group of documentary filmmakers winnowed the nominees.

The 85th Academy Awards are airing live from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles with host Seth MacFarlane.