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THE KNEECAP MOVIE is to be Ireland’s entry for Best International Feature at next year’s Academy Awards, the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) have announced.
Set in West Belfast in 2019, the film stars the rap trio that has risen to international acclaim in recent years for their blend of Irish and English rap about the realities of growing up in post-Troubles Belfast. The trio have recently played at Glastonbury and have appeared on American late-night talk shows.
The three band members, Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Próvai co-wrote the film with director Rich Peppiatt and features an ensemble cast inducing Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds and Adam Best.
The movie will be released in Irish cinemas next week on Thursday, 8 August.
It has already received a strong critical reception, taking the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year
The Irish language movie will hope to follow in the footsteps of An Cailín Ciúin/The Quiet Girl, which became the first ever Irish language film to be nominated for an Oscar in 2023.
In 2016, the Spanish language film Viva was also shortlisted for an Oscar, having been nominated by the IFTA after it was made in Ireland.
Responding to the announcement, the three Kneecap band members thanked the IFTA for selecting the film for the Oscars, with Móglaí Bap adding “one thing we’ve noticed in America is it resonates internationally. It’s an international story and makes people reflect on their own culture and language, and to consider the relationship they have with their indigenous or native language”.
Fellow band member Mo Chara also said it was a “privilege” to see the Irish language on the biggest stage in the world.
The film was produced by Jack Tarling and Trevor Birney for Fine Point Films and Mother Tongues Films, with Patrick O’Neill at Wildcard acting as Co-Producer.
Funding was provided by Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán and TG4, with backing also from Great Point Media.
The Oscar International Feature shortlist will be announced in December, with the final five Nominees announced a month later in January.
The 97th Academy Awards ceremony takes place in Los Angeles on Sunday, 3 March 2025.
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Rockin up to the Oscars in an RUC landrover, gwan the lads!
@Anthony Curran: Anything to take away from the actual content.
@Ollie McGlinchey: Ok boomer.
@John P Doe: Ye ragin’? Lol
@John P Doe: dick
They’re a bit backwards focused for my taste, but nice to see the Irish language. All the best.
@Jimmy The Mink: are we backward for wanting the Brits to go home???
@sean weir:
I think that you in particular are backwards, yes.
These people you refer to as “the Brits” have lived there for hundreds of years and love it and consider it to be home as much as you do.
And your want to “get them out” is backwards as there will never be a United Ireland if it is not inclusive and for all. Even Sinn Fein came to understand this (eventually) and it is chamiponed in the green and orange stripes of the Irish flag, if only those who wave it so frantically would take a moment to look at it.
So yes, you a backward. A (dim) dinosaur.
When there is a United Ireland it will be because of people like me, not you.
You’re just a remnant, an obstacle.
@Pad: you could use that logic to justify Israel kicking out the Palestinians Pad.
@Pad: Ah Pad, it’s not if you go back far enough which is what you’re doing in N Ireland.
Anyway, have a nice long weekend.
@sean weir: yes. Backwards as backwards can be.
@Jimmy The Mink: are you retarted?
The 6 countries have been policed by the British army since 1968.
Pray tell me who are these soldiers that have lived there for 100,s of years.
If you are talking about unionists and you think that they are the Brits in”brits out” it shows you don’t have a clue about what is happening in you own country
@John P Doe: Brits out is not about unionists,it’s about the British government and army ,the fact that You don’t know that is astonishing to me.
Another embarrassment for Ireland. Its like sending a rapping Bin Laden group
@Pat Hazzard: it’s amazing with you southern lads ,we are to Irish for the Brits but not Irish enough for the dubs,
In only 100 years you have convinced yourselves that we don’t exist
@Pat Hazzard: Stephen you were such an embarrassment to FF they kicked you out.
@Pat Hazzard:
‘Osama bin Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden was a Saudi Arabian-born Islamist dissident and militant leader who was the founder and first general emir of al-Qaeda from 1988 until his death in 2011′
Kneecap are a trio of p*ss taking rascals who have never harmed anyone. Who have friends in the PUL community who understand that there’s some humour to be found in all the tragedy and identity politics. They haven’t made a single threat made against any state. No holy wars declared either.
I don’t think it’s like ‘sending a rapping Bin Laden group’ at all!
@Pat Hazzard: ah paddy lad take off your ffg blueshirt for a minute someone might give you a hug
@John P Doe: “you lot”
You really are some west Brit P.O.S
Shame the music and rapping is awful.
@Ollie McGlinchey: it’s not though. Get your brits out is a banger. The song with Grian Chatten is very good too.
@Ollie McGlinchey: Vanilla Ice and Will Smith more your thing Ollie?
@Setanta O’Toole: more like a clanger
On vacation in New York. Seen a poster of them in Manhattan. Had to take a second look just to be sure. Put a smile on face.
Pat Hazzard is a C L O W N
@Darragh Mcnamara: it’s one of Stephen Kearons multiple personalities
@Michale Kane: the same Stephen Kearon who is a great admirer of Thatcher..no surprise there.
@anthonyjames. byrne.: and the black an tans. Imagine how bad you have to be to get kicked out of FF.
Not everything is for everyone.
@Jack Hayes: Like colonialism
One can imagine the hysterical condemnation if there was a punkish rapping band going around with union jack Balaclavas and purporting to represent the Shankill and the unionist community.
@tony mc g: They have their marching and burning Tony, even have a special month dedicated to it !
@Michale Kane: and what does the world think of that Michaela?
Oscars have gone downhill then
@Hector turtlehead: lol. …. that’s what done it for ya eh!
Ní ceapaim
Why not just send the Wolfe Tones to sing Up The Ra and save us any futher embarrassment?
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