The Daily Star Ireland
Belfast rap group Kneecap achieved a remarkable victory at the British Independent Film Awards, claiming seven awards, including the top prize for their Irish-language film. The film earned several prestigious recognitions, such as Best British Independent Film, Best British Independent Debut Screenwriter for Rich Peppiatt, and Best Joint Lead Performance, which went to the band members Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh. The awards ceremony took place at London’s Roundhouse on Sunday evening.
Writer and director Richard Peppiatt humorously noted during his speech that it was remarkable for the Best British Film award to go to an Irish film. The film had already gained recognition in craft categories, receiving BIFA accolades for Best Casting, Best Editing, Best Original Music, and Best Music Supervision last month.
The film, written and directed by Peppiatt, stars Kneecap members alongside a talented cast that includes Oscar-nominee Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, and others. Set in West Belfast in 2019, the movie follows a schoolteacher named JJ as he becomes involved with the rap group. Kneecap’s unique style blends Irish and English in their punk rap, creating a fresh, electrifying genre.
Kneecap’s film was produced with support from various organizations, including Fine Point Films, Wildcard Distribution, and the British Film Institute (BFI), along with funding from Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, and other entities.
In contrast, actress Saoirse Ronan, a BIFA veteran, did not win the Best Lead Performance award for her role in The Outrun, a film about a young woman’s return to the Orkney Islands after battling alcoholism. Ronan stunned on the red carpet in a navy gown, while her husband, actor Jack Lowden, praised her Scottish accent in the film, humorously claiming it was better than his own.
