The Irish-language film Kneecap is based on a semi-fictionalised account of how the Belfast rap group of the same name was formed
India McTaggart
Entertainment Correspondent
16 February 2025 10:54pm GMT
An anti-British film has won the Bafta for the best outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer.
The Irish-language film Kneecap, by director and writer Rich Peppiatt, is based on a semi-fictionalised account of how the Belfast rap group of the same name was formed.
The outspoken band, made up of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Caireallain and JJ Ó Dochartaigh from West Belfast, is known for its provocative lyrics and merchandise in support of Irish republicanism.
During Sunday’s awards ceremony, the breakout movie was nominated in six categories – including best British film, best editing, best film not in the English language, best original screenplay, best casting and best debut for a British writer, director or producer.
After Peppiatt won the best debut, he took to the stage and said Kneecap was a “movement” and that “everyone should have their language respected and their culture respected”.
The trio’s name is derived from so-called kneecapping – where young people are shot in the legs by paramilitaries in republican and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland, because of allegedly being involved in crime or antisocial behaviour.
The film includes a joke that compares the Brighton bombing to a sex act.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform, told The Telegraph: “This is an insult of the worst kind to all the good people of the RUC and British Army who were murdered by the IRA.”
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was one of 29 people killed in the 1998 Omagh bombing by the IRA, told The Telegraph that Bafta “should be awarding filmmakers that give positive messages to young”.
One Troubles victim, who was five years old when a 1974 bomb attack by loyalist paramilitaries in Dublin killed his father and left him with lifelong injuries, said Kneecap has “abused their platform”.
He told The Telegraph that the group “wasted an excellent opportunity to not objectify and glorify terrorism and the havoc it creates”.
Following the film’s Bafta win, he added: “They used and abused their platform to paint Irish Republican Army terrorists as a group of noble freedom fighters.
“There is nothing noble in shooting a man in front of his wife and children or blowing him up reversing his car out of the driveway.”
He said the award represented “a great opportunity totally wasted”, adding: “Their glorification of republican terrorism is not only sad, it’s pathetic.”
JJ Ó Dochartaigh, whose stage name is DJ Próvaí, attended the awards wearing his signature balaclava in the colours of the Irish tricolour.
The official Kneecap X page posted ahead of the awards ceremony on Sunday said: “We’re at the Baftas later – hopefully we steal a few to take back to Ireland.
“Don’t forget the British Government still occupy Ireland and they’re flying spy missions over Gaza as we speak to help Zionist fanatics bomb kids.
“Free Palestine. Free the Six Counties.”
In November 2024, the group won a discrimination case over a decision by Kemi Badenoch, now Conservative leader, to refuse them arts funding.
The trio had launched legal action claiming the decision to deny them a £14,250 grant discriminated against them on grounds of nationality and political opinion.
She has since branded the Labour Government “cowardly” for deciding not to appeal the court ruling.
A spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said: “It is unbelievable Labour has chosen not to pursue this case…Labour will always capitulate rather than defend UK interests.
“This case is not about whether a band promotes violence or hates the UK, as Kneecap clearly does; this is about whether government ministers have the ability to stop taxpayers’ money subsidising people who neither need nor deserve it.”
by spectacle-ar_failure
21 comments
https://www.reddit.com/r/northernireland/s/RGDIw5YNDw
This post went up already, deleted, then reposted. Why?
The film is telling a true story of what life is like on the ground. Its not a fairy tail of clouds and laughter. Its real life of how people live and are treated. Some people dont like that and think that. Ah well, get over it. Its not about making you or anyone else feel good. These lads have sparked a new revolution for the Irish language that many other people have tried and failed at miserably. These lads are speaking to people in language (and I don’t mean Irish language) that they understand and can relate to. Fair play to these lads, I hope they do well for themselves.
The people who don’t like what these lads stand for have probably either caused the situation to be what it is or have done fuck all to try and change it.
Thought this would be right up Nigel ‘Up the ra’ Farages street tbh
“Nigel Farage, best known as a man who says ‘up the RA’ for money, condemned the film”
Slip farage a few notes and he’ll also say this is the best film of 2024. We already know his going rate for “glorifying terrorism” as he says.
Congratulations to Kneecap from across the pond!
“Good people of the RUC” you’re having a laugh 😆
Has Badenough not heard of the Streisand effect?
Anything that makes Nigel cross is a good thing
🤣🤣Best Of Brit, brilliant.
Another republican rap group to add to the list ig
I fucking love how they piss all the right people off so much.
Fucking frothing Brit gammon rage, inject that into my fuckin veins.
It’s always the fucking gammon losers who scream ‘woke’ at everything who cry the hardest when someone points out historical truths to them about their rotten nation.
tl:dr, torygraphs ragin’, using an article on a directors debut film winning an award, to write some Heil Britannia word wank that could have been written by the myriad insidious john bull ballbags who lurk amongst us. Parful!
The “comments” are clearly from people that haven’t watched the movie nor understand the lyrics, basically people that can’t see past the balaclava. All it does is show them for the over opinionated, surface level “intellectuals” they are.
One of the coolest suits I’ve ever seen in my life
Kemi Bad-Enoch (Powell) will say almost anything to justify her (unjustified) position. It’s almost as laughable as Pritti Patel trying to ban Indian folk from coming to the UK. It smacks of pulling up the ladder after she get to the next level… “Yeah, I’m OK, but you’re not…”
BTW, she’s been laughed out of PMQs every single time. It’s embarrassing at this point…
Sooo can we come to terms that NI and one of its cultural touchstones is now accepted at least in art as legitimate by the UK art scene? Gammons will balk at anything that they don’t like or understand.
Wee Nige, like Badenoch, is a fervent supporter of “free speech”.
Until they something comes along that they don’t like.
I’m a 40 something protestant and I loved the movie. Thought it was funny as fuck and I really like the music as well. I know very little irish language but still enjoy the tunes. If you let a few guys rapping in Irish trigger you you’ve bigger problems!
Just checked… https://arethebritsatitagain.org/
> The trio’s name is derived from so-called kneecapping – where young people are shot in the legs by paramilitaries in republican and loyalist communities in Northern Ireland, because of allegedly being involved in crime or antisocial behaviour.
> The film includes a joke that compares the Brighton bombing to a sex act.
Republicans insistence on glorifying crime and thuggery doesn’t exactly endear the rest of us to their cause.
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