The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has selected Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap as Ireland’s representative in the Oscars international feature film category for the 2025 awards.
UK-born, Belfast-based filmmaker Peppiatt directs the music biopic of Belfast rap trio Kneecap, that stars the real-life band alongside a cast including Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds and Adam Best.
The film is set in west Belfast in 2019, when fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of Naoise and Liam Óg, who form an Irish-language hip-hop act, and become unlikely figureheads for a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue. The film premiered at Sundance, where it was the first Irish-language film to do so, and won the NEXT audience award.
“Obviously the movie is about the Irish language in Ireland, about young people reengaging with the language and putting their own stamp on the language,” said band member Mogali Bap. “One thing we’ve noticed in America is it resonates internationally. It’s an international story and makes people reflect on their own culture and language, and to consider the relationship they have with their indigenous or native language.”
Kneecap was selected by IFTA’s 2024 Selection Committee, including actor Stephen Rea (The Crying Game), directors Colm Bairéad (The Quiet Girl, Ireland’s first ever international feature Oscar nomination, in 2023) and Lisa Mulcahy (Lies We Tell); actors Liam Cunningham (Hunger); and Bríd Ní Neachtain (The Banshees Of Inisherin); plus Flora & Son producer Rebecca O’Flanagan.
The film’s producers are Trevor Birney for Belfast-based Fine Point Films, Jack Tarling of the UK’s Shudder Films, with Patrick O’Neill at Ireland’s Wildcard acting as co-producer. Funding for the film was provided by Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán and TG4, Dias Feld and Kamila Serkebaeva, with backing from Great Point Media.
Sony Pictures Classics is releasing Kneecap in the US on August 2, and it will hit Irish cinemas from Wildcard on August 8. Curzon will release the film in the UK on August 23.
“Nowhere before has filmmaking brought together the Irish language and music in such rebellious and youthful defiance,” said IFTA academy CEO, Áine Moriarty. “We have no doubt that Kneecap will both surprise and entertain international audiences, and ultimately leave its unique mark on international Academy Members too”.
“Since the start of the year when Kneecap premiered in Sundance we’ve been humbled by the grá the film has received around the world,” added Peppiatt. “But nothing hits quite like the reception we’ve had at home in Ireland. To get the opportunity to represent our nation on the biggest film stage of them all is an absolute privilege.”
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