In my opinion, Germfree Adolescents by the X-Ray Spex was one of the best punk albums to come out of England in the 70s, or maybe ever. Lead singer and songwriter Poly Styrene, with her incomparable air raid siren of a voice shouting out feminist ideals, was a heroine to many a teenage punk girl. Her daughter, Celeste Bell, writer Zoë Howe and director Paul Sng, are now attempting to tell Poly Styrene’s story, using previously unseen footage as well as interviews and new research “to present a thrilling, poetic and at times impressionistic portrait of a singer, seeker, a maverick and a mother.”
“Poly Styrene: I am a Cliche” debuts in the UK on Friday, March 5, 2021 in Virtual Cinemas. The rest of us will have to attend the SXSW Film Festival online March 16-20, 2021 to see the documentary. There is no specific film schedule released yet. Unfortunately, SXSW is all or nothing, so you will have to pony up $325 for the entire festival. Watch for updates on additional showings and releases on Facebook, and the documentary’s official website.
