80s and 90s Manchester music fixture Frank Sidebottom hid a creative giant who was both defined and smothered by that whopping papier-mâché head. Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story unmasks him.

Played by Michael Fassbender in the beloved 2014 oddity Frank, the real character of Frank Sidebottom stalked Manchester’s music and comedy scene for over 25 years. But who really knew the fractured genius underneath the mask? Chris Sievey was a failed pop star with his band The Freshies, but Frank was a strange success – hosting his own chaotic kid’s TV show, popping up in clubs and as a variety show guest, introducing acts at Wembley Stadium and amassing a cult following.

In this tender documentary, director Steve Sullivan pieces together his split personality through a monstrous archive of personal notebooks, movies, art and music, alongside insights from his closest confidants, including actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, journalist, author and filmmaker Jon Ronson, performance poet John Cooper Clarke and comedian Ross Noble.

"Delightful … a wonderful ode to the unique mind and artistry that birthed Frank Sidebottom on to an unsuspecting populace of small town Britain. It’s a story of passion, commitment, fearless obsession, and dreams." – Glide Magazine