Irish-language music biopic “Kneecap” has dominated the awards on home soil at the 36th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh, which concluded last night on the west coast of Ireland.
The film, which caused a stir in Sundance earlier this year where it was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, won three out of a possible three awards it qualified for in Galway, where it had its Irish premiere as the festival opener. It won best Irish film, best Irish language feature film and the audience award, a feat not achieved before in the Fleadh’s 36-year history.
From writer-director Rich Peppiatt, “Kneecap” follows the wild coming together and rise of real-life Belfast hip hop trio Kneecap — all playing themselves, alongside Michael Fassbender in a supporting role —in a story awash in sex, drugs, music and politics that is both anarchic and a rallying cry for the defense of native cultures and languages. Produced by Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling and Patrick O’Neill, the film is set to open across the U.S. on Aug. 2 and is now hotly-tipped to become Ireland’s Oscar submission for the international feature category.
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“For a film as dyed in the tricolor as ‘Kneecap,’ the Irish premiere was always going to be special and the audiences in Galway have blown us away,” said Peppiatt. “To be honored in the way we have at this beautiful festival is something we’ll never forget. Go raibh míle maith agat the Fleadh.”
Added Birney: “This is a huge endorsement, not only of Rich and ‘Kneecap’ but also of our cast and crew as well as the financiers who supported us all the way. It’s been an amazing week in Galway, and we thank Miriam [Allen] and the team for backing the film. Roll on the release so everyone can finally see this special film!”
Elsewhere at the Fleadh, which saw some 94 feature films and 100 short film screened over six days, “Fidil Ghorm,” from director Anne McCabe, won best Irish first feature, “Housewife of the Year” won best Irish documentary award for director Ciaran Cassidy, and Farah Nabulsi’s “The Teacher” won best international feature. Meanwhile, “Bad Sisters” star Eva Birthistle won the new talent award for her directorial debut “Kathleen Is Here.”
