Celeste Bell and Paul Sng’s documentary on one of punk music’s unsung pioneers is part memoir and part tribute to the late artist, Poly Styrene. Once a wayward Anglo-Somali teen in 1970s Britain, Poly Styrene was inspired by the Sex Pistols to put a band together. She formed the group X-Ray Spex and became an instant icon in the burgeoning U.K. punk scene for her strong voice, powerful lyrics, and for scorning traditional beauty standards of the time—setting a precedent for feminist punk rockers and riot grrrls.

Years after Poly Styrene’s death, her daughter Bell set out to retrace her mother’s steps into musical history, and revisit her struggles with misogyny, racism, the pressures of fame, and mental illness. Actress Ruth Negga breathes new life into Poly’s words as Bell explores her own family’s story through memories, old photographs, and films.