Kneecap wins Audience Award at Sundance
Date Posted: January 29, 2024
Rich Peppiatt’s KNEECAP has won an Audience Award at the renowned Sundance Film Festival in Utah. It marks the first Irish language feature film to win at the festival.
Speaking about the win, KNEECAP writer and director Rich Peppiatt said: “There’s a saying in Irish – Ní mhaireann solas na maidine don lá – which means no morning sun lasts all day. Well, the amazing week we’ve had here at Sundance since premiering our movie has certainly tested that wisdom – and we’re basking in every moment”.
The win follows what has been a very successful festival for the film. Since its world premiere last week, KNEECAP, which was the first ever Irish language film to be selected for the festival, has been receiving rave reviews from critics and audiences alike. It also scored a major international deal with Sony Pictures Classics during the festival with the film now set for release in North America and other major, global markets.
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), Jessica Reynolds (Outlander), Fionnuala Flaherty (Ros na Rún) 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”.
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.
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 Once and Sing Street and Lee Cronin’s The Hole in the Ground.
KNEECAP was produced by Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling 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.
KNEECAP will be released in cinemas by Wildcard and Curzon later this year.
BHUAIGH ‘KNEECAP’ GRADAM AN LUCHT FÉACHANA AG SUNDANCE
Bhuaigh KNEECAP le Rich Peppiatt an Gradam an Lucht Féachana ag an bhFéile Scannán Sundance in Utah.
Ag labhairt dó faoin mbua, dúirt an scríbhneoir agus stiúrthóir KNEECAP, Rich Peppiatt: “Tá nath cainte ann i nGaeilge – Ní mhaireann solas na maidine don lá – rud a chiallaíonn nach maireann grian na maidine an lá ar fad. Bhuel, rinne an tseachtain iontach a bhí againn anseo ag Sundance scrúdú air sin – agus táimid ag baint sult as achan nóiméad de”.
Tagann bua na ngradam go dlúth ar shála na bhféile, áit ar éirigh go han-mhaith leis an scannán. Ó taispeánadh den chéad uair é an tseachtain seo caite, tá KNEECAP, a bhí ar an gcéad scannán Gaeilge riamh a roghnaíodh don fhéile, ag fáil léirmheasanna iontacha ó léirmheastóirí agus lucht féachana araon. Chomh maith leis sin, d’éirigh leis an scannán margadh mór idirnáisiúnta le Sony Pictures Classics a fháil le linn na féile agus tá an scannán anois le scaoileadh i Meiriceá Thuaidh agus i margaí móra domhanda eile.
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), Jessica Reynolds (Outlander), Fionnuala Flaherty (Ros na Rún) agus Josie Walker (Belfast, The Wonder). In iarthar Bhéal Feirste, 2019, atá an scannán suite agus tugann sé cuntas ar an gcinniúint a thug an triúr le chéile agus ar an mbealach ‘ar athraigh siad an ceol Gaelach go deo na ndeor’ ina dhiaidh sin.
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.
In 1978 a bunaíodh Féile Scannán Sundance agus tá sí ar an bhféile is iomráití ar domhan ó thaobh na scannán neamhspleách de. I measc na scannán a taispeánadh ag an bhféile in imeacht na mblianta tá The Usual Suspects, Reservoir Dogs, Little Miss Sunshine, agus In Bruges le cois léiriúcháin Éireannacha ar nós Brooklyn le John Crowley, The Lobster le Yorgos Lanthimos, Sing Street agus Once le John Carney agus The Hole in the Ground le Lee Cronin.
Is iad Trevor Birney agus Jack Tarling, 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.
Is iad Wildcard agus Curzona a eiseoidh an scannán KNEECAP sna pictiúrlanna in 2024.
