Getty ImagesIrish-language film Kneecap has won seven British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), including the top honor – Best British Independent Film.
Kneecap, which is based on a semi-fictionalised account of how the west Belfast rap trio was formed, also took Best Debut Screenwriter for Rich Peppiatt and Best Joint Lead for trio Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh.
The film dominated the awards with 14 nominations.
The winners of the 27th British Independent Film Awards were announced during a ceremony in London’s Roundhouse on Sunday evening.
On the red carpet, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, better known as Móglaí Bap, explained why he thought the film had resonated with audiences.
“There’s a lot of people who suffered under imperialism and colonialism and a lot of people see themselves in the story of it,” he said.
“Minority languages, minority cultures getting their shake at the stake.”
Bandmate Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (Mo Chara), said: “We thought it was a film about the Irish language, but languages that have been oppressed is an international story and a lot of people related to it.”
Minority groups, such as Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians, “can see themselves in the story”, he added.
GettyDirector Rich Peppiatt said when he first met the band “they weren’t signed and rapping in a language not many people spoke”.
“It didn’t really scream, you know, big movie potential… but there was something that just connected,” he said.
“Their approach to promoting indigenous language and culture was something that I just thought was a really important message.”
Getty ImagesRap group Kneecap was formed in 2017 by three friends who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí.
The three-piece have faced disapproval for their politically-charged lyrics and ease with controversy – they’ve previously admitted they like “to get people riled up”.
The idea for a film was first conceived in 2019 when director Rich Peppiatt watched the group perform in Belfast.
Filmed in Belfast and Dundalk, Peppiatt previously told BBC News NI: “It’s definitely more controversial than the usual movies that come out of Northern Ireland.”
Set in west Belfast in 2019, the film is a dramatised, comedic account of how the group was formed.
James ClarkeIt became the first Irish-language film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the NEXT audience award.
The film met rave reviews upon its premiere, external with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as “gleefully irreverent”.
The Irish Film & Television Academy has selected Kneecap to represent Ireland in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming 97th annual Academy Awards.
