
Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché
She introduced the world to a new sound of rebellion, using her unconventional voice to sing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism and everything she saw unfolding in late 1970s Britain, with a rare prescience. 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. Her daughter, filmmaker Celeste Bell 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 rare diary entries narrated by Oscar-nominee Ruth Negga, this documentary follows Celeste as she examines her mother's unopened artistic archive and traverses three continents to better understand Poly the icon and Poly the mother.
Pre-recorded Q&A with director Celeste Bell. Moderated by Sardé Hardie, VP, Acquisitions and Sales, Photon Films.
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Want more? Buckle up, it's going to be a long, hot, punk summer. Don’t miss this series of punk doc bangers.
Presented in partnership with Emissions Record Shop.
Participating Organizations
506 Bloor St West
Toronto ON M5S 1Y3
Canada
DETAILS
Poly Styrene: I Am a ClichéDATE & TIME
506 Bloor St West
Toronto ON M5S 1Y3
Canada