Kneecap to have world premiere at Sundance Film Festival
Date Posted: December 6, 2023
Rich Peppiatt’s KNEECAP will have its world premiere at the renowned Sundance Film Festival in Utah next month where it will screen on the opening night on Thursday 18th January.
Based on the origin story of the riotous and ground-breaking Irish-language rap trio Kneecap, the film stars the band’s Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí in their acting debuts alongside Academy Award® nominated Michael Fassbender (Steve Jobs, 12 Years a Slave), Simone Kirby (Hidden Assets, Jimmy’s Hall) and Josie Walker (Belfast, The Wonder). Set in west Belfast in 2019, it chronicles how fate brings the trio together and how they then go on to “change the sound of Irish music forever”.
Speaking about the world premiere writer / director Rich Peppiatt said: “When I first set out to make a film in a language I didn’t speak, set in a place I’m not from, little could I have imagined four years later we would be introducing Kneecap the movie to the world at the Mecca of Independent cinema. It’s an honour to be breaking new ground for Irish language cinema with a film that surprises & provokes every bit as much as Kneecap’s music.”
Kneecap added: “We are buzzing to be premiering at Sundance. Wherever we go we aim to smash preconceptions about cultural identity, language and highlight the role of the working classes to overthrow oppressive power. To now bring this message from the streets of West Belfast to the big screen is f*cking excellent. We’re immensely proud of the film and can’t wait to get it to cinemas around the world.”
Producer Trevor Birney from Fine Point Films said: “This is the first Irish language film to have been selected by Sundance, which is simply incredible not only for Rich Peppiatt and Kneecap but for Fine Point and the film industry in Ireland, north and south. I was excited about this film from the moment Rich came to me with the idea and we began to work together with the band on making it happen. Thanks to the incredible crew and, of course, the funders who supported Rich’s vision. Go raibh maith agaibh.”
Patrick O’Neill, MD at Wildcard said: “Wildcard are thrilled to be involved with Kneecap as producer and distributor. It’s a brilliant Irish film that I am sure will connect with audiences all over Ireland and worldwide. We can’t wait to bring it to Irish cinemas in 2024.”
Founded in 1978, the Sundance Film Festival is the world’s most prestigious festival dedicated to independent films. Titles that have screened at the festival in the past include The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, and In Bruges as well as Irish productions such as John Crowley’s Brooklyn, Yorgos Lanthimos’s The Lobster, John Carney’s Sing Street and Lee Cronin’s The Hole in the Ground.
KNEECAP is the first non-US film to ever be selected for the NEXT section of the festival. The festival describes selections for this section as “pure, bold works distinguished by an innovative, forward-thinking approach to story-telling”. The film is writer/director Rich Peppiatt’s first live-action feature following his award-winning satirical documentary One Rogue Reporter.
Described by the LA Times as “reminiscent of the early Eminem”, the band Kneecap is gaining critical acclaim for their artful blend of Irish and English rap about the gritty reality of growing up in post-Troubles Belfast. Their single Better Way to Live featuring Grian Chatten was released last month with their highly anticipated debut album set to be released early next year.
KNEECAP 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 for the film was provided by Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán and TG4, with backing from Great Point Media.
The Sundance Film Festival will take place from 18th – 28th January in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah with KNEECAP screening on the opening night. Anonymous Content (The Revenant) will be representing the film at the festival alongside sales agent Charades (Aftersun).
KNEECAP will be released in Irish cinemas by Wildcard and Curzon in 2024.
Première domhanda Kneecap ag féile scannán sundance
Taispeánfar première domhanda an scannáin KNEECAP le Rich Peppiatt ag Féile Scannán chlúiteach Sundance in Utah an mhí seo chugainn. Déardaoin 18 Eanáir, oíche oscailte na féile féin, a chraolfar é.
Kneecap, an tríréad rapcheoil spleodrach ceannródaíoch Gaeilge, agus an bealach ar tháinig siad i gceann a chéile an chéad lá riamh, sin is scéal don scannán. Agus iad i mbun aisteoireachta den chéad uair riamh, tá príomhpháirt ag baill an ghrúpa féin sa scannán: Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap agus DJ Próvaí. Tá an triúr céanna i gcuideachta Michael Fassbender, aisteoir a ainmníodh do Dhuais Acadaimh (Steve Jobs, 12 Years a Slave), Simone Kirby (Hidden Assets, Jimmy’s Hall) agus Josie Walker (Belfast, The Wonder). In iarthar Bhéal Feirste, 2019, atá an scannán suite agus tugann sé cuntas ar an chinniúint a thug an triúr le chéile agus ar an bhealach ‘ar athraigh siad an ceol Gaelach go deo na ndeor’ ina dhiaidh sin.
Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an scríbhneoir-stiúrthóir Rich Peppiatt faoin première domhanda: “Nuair a chuir mé romham féin an chéad lá riamh scannán a dhéanamh i dteanga nár labhair mé, a bheadh suite in áit nárbh as dom, is beag a shíl mé ceithre bliana níos faide anonn go mbeadh an scannán Kneecap á chur os comhair an tsaoil againn ag an fhéile is gradamaí agus is tábhachtaí i dtionscal na scannán neamhspleách. Is mór an onóir dom gort nua i dtionscal na scannán Gaeilge a threabhadh; seo scannán a bhfuil an t-iontas agus an spreagadh ina orlaí tríd – dála cheol Kneecap féin.”
Seo mar a labhair Kneecap: “Tá muid an-tógtha gur ag Sundance a thaispeánfar an scannán den chéad uair riamh. Cibé áit a dtéann muid cuireann muid faoinár gcoinne féin deireadh go deo a chur le réamhchlaontaí faoin fhéiniúlacht chultúrtha agus faoin teanga agus leagann muid béim ar an ról atá ag an lucht oibre cumhachtaí tíoránta leatromacha a chur de dhroim seoil. Tá sé ar f*cain dóigh go mbeidh an teachtaireacht seo ó shráideanna Iarthar Bhéal Feirste á scaipeadh ar an scáileán mór anois. Tá muid millteanach bródúil as an scannán agus tá muid ar bís lena eisiúint i bpictiúrlanna ar fud an domhain.”
Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an léiritheoir Trevor Birney ó Fine Point Films: “Seo an chéad scannán Gaeilge a roghnaigh Sundance riamh, agus is éacht amach is amach é ní hamháin ag Rich Peppiatt agus Kneecap ach ag Fine Point agus ag an tionscal scannán in Éirinn, thuaidh agus theas, chomh maith. Bhí mé an-tógtha go deo leis an scannán nuair a phléigh Rich an smaoineamh liom an chéad lá riamh agus thosaigh muid ag obair i gcomhar leis an bhanna ionas go dtiocfadh an fhís chun fíre. Caithfidh mé buíochas ó chroí a ghabháil leis an chriú iontach a bhí againn agus, ar ndóigh, leis na maoinitheoirí a thacaigh le fís Rich. Go raibh maith agaibh.”
Seo mar a labhair Patrick O’Neill, stiúrthóir bainistíochta Wildcard: “Tá lúcháir ar Wildcard go bhfuil muid ag obair i gcomhar le Kneecap mar Léiritheoir agus Dáileoir. Is iontach go deo an scannán Gaeilge é agus tá mé cinnte de go rachaidh sé i gcion ar dhaoine in Éirinn agus ar fud an domhain. Tá muid ag dúil go mór lena chur os comhair an tsaoil sna pictiúrlanna in 2024.”
In 1978 a bunaíodh Féile Scannán Sundance agus tá sí ar an fhéile is iomráití ar domhan ó thaobh na scannán neamhspleách de. I measc na scannán a taispeánadh ag an fhéile in imeacht na mblianta tá The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, agus In Bruges le cois léiriúcháin Ghaeilge ar nós Brooklyn le John Crowley, The Lobster le Yorgos Lanthimos, Sing Street le John Carney agus The Hole in the Ground le Lee Cronin.
Is é KNEECAP an chéad scannán riamh nár léiríodh i Meiriceá a roghnaíodh do rannóg NEXT na féile. De réir na féile féin, na saothair a roghnaítear faoin rannóg seo, is “saothair íona mhisniúla iad agus is sonraíoch an insint nuálach cheannródaíoch a chleachtar iontu”. Seo an chéad scannán beo-aicsin ag an scríbhneoir-stiúrthóir Rich Peppiatt, fear a rinne an clár faisnéise aorach One Rogue Reporter a thug duaiseanna go leor leis.
Mhaígh an LA Times gur banna iad Kneecap “a chuirfeadh laethanta luatha Eminem i gcuimhne do dhuine” agus tá na léirmheastóirí á moladh go barr bata as a meascán ealaíonta rap Gaeilge agus Béarla a thugann aghaidh ar an saol crua cadránta atá roimh an té a bhíonn ag fás aníos i mBéal Feirste i ndiaidh aimsir na dTrioblóidí. Eisíodh an singil Better Way to Live leo an mhí seo caite, singil ina bhfuil Grian Chatten ag ceol, agus tá tnúth mór leis an chéad albam riamh uathu, a eiseofar go luath an bhliain seo chugainn.
Is iad Jack Tarling agus Trevor Birney, thar ceann Fine Point Films agus Mother Tongues Films, a léirigh KNEECAP, in éineacht le Patrick O’Neill ag Wildcard a bhí ag feidhmiú mar Chomhléiritheoir. Chuir na heagraíochtaí seo a leanas maoiniú ar fáil don scannán: Scáileán Thuaisceart Éireann, An Ciste Craoltóireachta Gaeilge, Fís Éireann, BFI (a bhronn maoiniú ón Chrannchur Náisiúnta), Coimisiún na Meán agus TG4 agus thug Great Point Media tacaíocht dó chomh maith.
Beidh Féile Scannán Sundance ar siúl idir 18 – 28 Eanáir in Salt Lake City, Utah, agus taispeánfar KNEECAP ar oíche oscailte na féile féin. Beidh Anonymous Content (The Revenant) i láthair ag an fhéile thar ceann an scannáin agus iad i gcuideachta an ghníomhaire díolacháin Charades (Aftersun).
Is iad Wildcard agus Curzona a eiseoidh an scannán KNEECAP i bpictiúrlanna na hÉireann in 2024.
