Award-winning Irish feature film Kneecap to open in Irish cinemas on Thursday, 8th August
Posted: 31st May 2024
Wildcard Distribution has announced today that Rich Peppiatt’s award-winning feature film Kneecap will open in Irish cinemas on Thursday 8th August 2024. The film is proudly supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland.
Tickets are now on sale online through the websites of participating cinemas.
Kneecap was the first non-US film to ever be selected for the NEXT section of the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it went on to win the Audience Award in that strand - the first Irish-language film ever to do so. It has since received rave reviews from critics and been selected to screen at many prestigious festivals including Tribeca Film Festival, the Sydney Film Festival, and the Galway Film Fleadh.
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.
Wildcard’s Patrick O’Neill said:
We can’t wait for everyone to experience this once in a generation Irish film this summer. Kneecap has been universally loved by audiences all over the world and we are so excited to bring it home to the 32 counties of Ireland. Seo Linn!”
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, Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán and TG4, with backing from Great Point Media.