![\"Kneecap](\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dfwshshcn\/image\/upload\/t_Banner)
<\/p>\n
\nThe Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA)<\/strong> has announced that Irish language feature Kneecap<\/strong><\/em> has been selected to represent Ireland in the Oscar\u00ae International Feature Film<\/strong> category at the upcoming 97th annual Academy Awards.
\n
\nThe film, written and directed by Rich Peppiatt<\/strong> (One Rogue Reporter<\/em>) stars the members of the West Belfast rap trio Kneecap (M\u00f3glai Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Prova\u00ed<\/strong>) alongside an ensemble cast including Oscar\u00ae nominee Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds<\/strong> and Adam Best<\/strong>.
\n
\nKneecap was selected by IFTA\u2019s 2024 Selection Committee, including Oscar\u00ae nominated actor Stephen Rea<\/strong> (The Crying Game, The English<\/em>) award-winning directors Colm Bair\u00e9ad<\/strong> (The Quiet Girl<\/em>) and Lisa Mulcahy<\/strong> (Lies We Tell, Ridley Road<\/em>); award-winning actors Liam Cunningham<\/strong> (Game of Thrones, Hunger<\/em>) and Br\u00edd N\u00ed Neachtain<\/strong> (R\u00f3ise & Frank, The Banshees of Inisherin<\/em>); and award-winning producer Rebecca O\u2019Flanagan<\/strong> (Flora & Son, Viva<\/em>).<\/p>\n
\nSet in West Belfast in 2019, when fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of Naoise and Liam \u00d3g, the needle drops on a hip hop act like no other. Rapping in their native Irish language, the trio create their own genre of Irish punk rap, melding the Irish and English language with electrifying energy. Their writing and performance reimagine what rap can be as a creative and cultural force, rooted in community. Kneecap ultimately become the unlikely figureheads of a Civil Rights movement to save their mother tongue, upending preconceptions about language and place and spearheading a cultural revival and interest from their legions of young followers.
\n
\nKneecap was produced by Trevor Birney<\/strong> and Jack Tarling<\/strong> for Fine Point Films and Mother Tongues Films, with Patrick O’Neill<\/strong> at Wildcard acting as Co-Producer. Funding for the film was provided by Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, F\u00eds \u00c9ireann \/ Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n and TG4, Dias Feld and Kamila Serkebaeva, with backing from Great Point Media.
\n
\nSony Pictures Classics are releasing Kneecap in the US on Friday 2nd August, and it will hit Irish cinemas from Wildcard Distribution on Thursday 8th August. Curzon will release the film in the UK on Friday 23rd August.
\n
\nThe film received its World Premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January this year, where it won a NEXT Audience Award, the first Irish language film to win at the festival. It went on to play at Sundance London, and was the opening film of Galway Film Fleadh, where it won three prizes including the Audience Award.
\n
\nKneecap joins a stellar list of Irish-made films selected by IFTA to represent Ireland in the Oscar International Feature category over the years. In 2023, An Cail\u00edn Ci\u00fain\/The Quiet Girl<\/strong> (Irish language) became Oscar Nomination; and in 2016 Viva<\/strong> (Spanish language) was Oscar shortlisted.
\n
\nTG4 Commissioning Editor Proinsias N\u00ed Ghr\u00e1inne<\/strong> says, \u201cTG4 is delighted to receive this Oscar nomination for the bold and explosive movie, Kneecap, which not only recognises excellence in writing, directing and performance from the band but also will bring the wave of energy of young Irish speakers to a world stage.”<\/em>
\n <\/p>\n