The Kneecap film has scored a string of award nominations at the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) as well as two prestigious European Film Award nods.
The film, which is based on the rise of the Belfast Irish language rap group, has been nominated for 14 awards at the BIFAs including Best Screenplay, Best Director for Rich Peppiatt and joint lead performances for Kneecap trio Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvai.
The film has also been nominated for the European Discovery Prix FIPRESCI and the European University Film Award.
The latest nominations come on the back of what has been a successful year for the group so far, with the film also chosen as Ireland’s official entry for Best International Feature at the upcoming Academy Awards.
The film sees all three rappers play themselves in debut acting roles, alongside actor of international renown Michael Fassbender.
Set in west Belfast in 2019, when fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of Naoise and Liam Óg, the needle drops on a hip hop act like no other. Rapping in their native Irish language, the trio create their own genre of Irish punk rap, melding the Irish and English language with electrifying energy.
Read more
During the film Kneecap ultimately become the unlikely figureheads of a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue, upending preconceptions about language and place and spearheading a cultural revival and interest from their legions of young followers.
Kneecap made headlines over the summer when they drew huge crowds to their set at Glastonbury and received praise from Oasis’ Noel Gallagher.
They will also tour Australia and New Zealand early next year and will support Dublin rockers Fontaines D.C. at the band’s headline show at Finsbury Park in London next July.
Speaking about the latest nominations Kneecap producer Trevor Birney said: “For ‘Kneecap’ to be recognised at this level is testament not only to Rich Peppiatt’s creative vision and determination but also to the work of an amazing cast and crew along with the unstinting support of our financiers.”
The film has made more than €1m at the Irish box office and will be available to stream on Amazon Prime Video in Ireland and the UK from November 15.