Being Frank: the Chris Sievey Story

Manchester-based musician Chris Sievey struggled for fame under his own name, but became an unlikely cult figure when he donned an oversize papier-mâché head and began performing under the name Frank Sidebottom. This affectionate documentary chronicles the story of a driven man who yearned for more typical stardom as leader of the power pop band The Freshies, only to become imprisoned by the alter ego he created. Members of Frank's backing group (including investigative journalist Jon Ronson), comedians Johnny Vegas and Ross Noble, and Sievey's own family paint a vivid portrait of ambition beset by alcohol and drug issues, while celebrating one of the most curious comic creations of recent times. Archive TV footage shows a performer with a meticulous attention to detail who found a healthy audience on the student gig circuit and children's television, although his success literally masked a sadness that stayed with him until his death in 2010.