BAFTA wins for Rich Peppiatt and Nick Emerson
Date Posted: February 17, 2025
The winners of the 2025 EE BAFTA Film Awards were announced last night in a ceremony hosted by David Tennant at The Royal Festival Hall in London. Northern Ireland Screen was delighted to see Rich Peppiatt (Kneecap) and Nick Emerson (Conclave) among the prestigious list of winners.
Rich Peppiatt picked up the BAFTA for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director, or Producer for his work on KNEECAP. This follows hot on the heels of KNEECAP’s four IFTA wins on Friday.
Directed and co-written by Peppiatt, KNEECAP stars the West Belfast rap trio—Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Próvaí—alongside Oscar® nominee Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds, and Adam Best.
Set in West Belfast in 2019, the film follows a schoolteacher whose chance encounter with two aspiring rappers sparks the rise of a groundbreaking Irish-language hip-hop act. Rapping in Irish, they fuse language, culture, and raw energy, igniting a movement that reshapes both rap and national identity.
KNEECAP was produced by Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling for Fine Point Films and Mother Tongues Films, with Patrick O’Neill of Wildcard serving as Co-Producer. The film received financial backing from Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the BFI (via National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán, TG4, Dias Feld, and Kamila Serkebaeva, with additional support from Great Point Media.
Lisburn man Nick Emerson won the BAFTA for Editing for his work on CONCLAVE. Nick is also nominated for an Oscar in this category.
