Poly Styrene, the first woman of color in the UK to front a successful rock band, introduced the world to a new sound of rebellion. She used her unconventional voice to sing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism, and everything she saw unfolding in late 1970s Britain. As the frontwoman of X-Ray Spex, the Anglo-Somali punk musician was also a key inspiration for the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements. But the late punk maverick didn’t just leave behind an immense cultural footprint. She was survived by a daughter, Celeste Bell, who became the unwitting guardian of her mother’s legacy and her mother’s demons. Misogyny, racism, and mental illness plagued Poly’s life, while their lasting trauma scarred Celeste’s childhood and the pair’s relationship. Featuring unseen archive material and diary entries, this documentary follows Celeste as she examines her mother’s unopened artistic archive and traverses three continents to better understand the icon and mother.
The movie co-directed by Bell just had its World Premiere at the Glasgow Film Festival and its US Premiere at SXSW. It is produced by Modern Films a female led film production, distribution and event cinema company. It is now streaming from the Barbican Theatre —
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Labels: 2021, documentary, movie preview, Poly Styrene
