Paul Simon is arguably one of America’s most beloved singer-songwriters, but in the early 1980s his career was sagging. His last few solo efforts had failed to connect with the public, and he was ready to try a new direction. Intrigued by a tape of South African music, Simon was taken by the similarities between the roots of classic American rock-and-roll and the driving rhythms of traditional African songs. And so was born 1986’s masterpiece Graceland. The album was a critical and monetary success, but Simon’s decision to record in South Africa proved contentious. Charged with breaking the UN’s widely adopted cultural boycott against South Africa, Simon was branded a political traitor. Twenty-five years later, director Joe Berlinger follows Simon back to South Africa to reunite with the musicians with whom he collaborated, and to candidly face criticism from locals who felt betrayed by his decision. Between electrifying performances and revealing interviews, the audience is left to determine whether or not great art can rise above the controversy it creates.  RM