Kneecap bring award-winning movie home to Belfast

Laura Hogan Laura Hogan | 08-07 08:15

"This is why we made the film. We made this film for people in Belfast - people in Ireland. It is very colloquial - very Belfast.

"We never changed any of the script. We kept it the way it was, that is why it has the accents. It makes it harder for everyone in America to understand us, not only in Irish but even in English. It means a lot for us because the movie is set in West Belfast and it was born out of West Belfast."

Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvai (standing) arriving at the Belfast premiere of Kneecap / All images: Presseye

The Irish language rappers were surrounded by their family and friends at the special screening which took place ahead of Kneecap's wider cinema release in Ireland on Thursday.

"It's good craic. It's good to be in the hometown obviously," said Mo Chara, adding, "It's a pleasure to have everybody out. We'll have a good night, no misbehaving I promise!"

Describing the evening as "class", Móglaí Bap paid tribute to his family for sending him to a Gaelscoil.

"Without my family sending me to Gaelscoil and teaching me Irish this would never have happened, so it's all because of the people who came before us in Belfast who decided to learn Irish and give Irish to their children."

The hip-hop trio with former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams

DJ Provaí said it was "brilliant" to bring the film home to Ireland.

"It's amazing, I'm not good at maths but I'd say there's a hundred million here tonight!

"To have all our friends and family, it's an amazing thing. Who would have thought when we started out with one song it would lead to this?"

After already scooping awards at the Sundance Film Festival and the Galway Film Fleadh, Kneecap now have their sights on an Oscar.

The Irish Film and Television Academy recently announced that Kneecap has been chosen as the Irish entry for the International Feature Film category at next year's Academy Awards.

Dare they dream about winning the gold statue?

"Oh, 100%, it's in the bag," joked DJ Provaí.

"The fact that we've got this far, I wouldn't put anything past it now. We went to Sundance, we won the award at Sundance, we went to Tribeca, won the awards at Galway. Why not the Oscar?"

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The movie's director Rich Peppiatt said it was a "fantastic honour" to be put forward as the Irish entry.

"We set out to make a film that would resonate with people in Belfast. If we'd achieved that, we would have been happy. To see it go to Sundance and win there and take it around the world has been crazy. It's something we never expected.

"A film that is a sex, drugs and hip hop as this, as raunchy as this, it's a risk for them, and we appreciate they're taking that risk and believing in our film," he added.

Director Rich Peppiatt (second left) said it was a "fantastic honour" to be forward as the Irish entry for the Oscars

Speaking about what Kneecap will do for the Irish language, and language in general, the trio said it is making people look at their own language and cultures, and reconnect with their indigenous roots.

"I think it resonates with people on an international scale because at the heart of this story, it's about Indigenous languages, it's about our connection with our native culture. That is a story that resonates with people around the world and it's all about our identity," said Móglaí Bap.

He also hopes it will inspire others.

"I hope it gives people in Ireland the confidence to create art in Irish.... Hopefully now people will understand that Irish is just as capable of standing amongst the other languages".

Kneecap made quite the entrance at the Belfast premiere of their movie

In typical Kneecap style, Mo Chara joked that the film might also bring the language "into disrepute".

"It's gonna put all this hard work Irish language activists have done for 60 years back about 20 years once they see the absolute debauchery in the film," he said.

While this was a joyful occasion in Belfast for the hip-hop group, there have been violent scenes on the city's streets in recent nights.

Móglaí Bap said he doesn't think what is happening reflects the majority of people in Belfast.

"I hope people will come out and support the shops and businesses affected.

"I think it's blatant racism and where I'm from people don't support that. So hopefully, people will come out and show solidarity with the people being affected by this."

"A film that is a sex, drugs and hip hop as this, as raunchy as this, it's a risk for them, and we appreciate they're taking that risk and believing in our film."

Also in attendance at the premiere were co-stars Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty and Jessica Reynolds.

Michael Fassbender, who plays Móglaí Bap's father in the film, did not make a red carpet appearance.

Kirby plays his mother and said working on this movie was unlike anything she had done before.

"It's very different to come onto something where there's a band that have their own energy and they're about to launch an album. It's not your usual movie. It's not just like being an actor and coming in to play a role.

"It's getting on a moving train and it's very exciting, it's very energised, it's really nice," she added.

Walker, who is originally from Belfast said it was "wonderful" to come back and "do such an amazing film that seems to be capturing everyone. It feels like an honour."

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Belfast actor Reynolds said she was "buzzing" to bring the film to the city tonight.

"It's everything, especially how authentic the film is, I don't think it's been done before. I think it means a lot to the people who are from here, to see something so authentic and honest and representing the youth of the day. It feels class."

Flaherty said working on an Irish language film of this scale is "what dreams are made of".

"When I was growing up on Inis Mór, this is what I dreamed of, working in the Irish language on high-quality stuff, but I don't think then or even when we were making it last year I could have envisioned, how celebrated, thankfully a film like this could be and how global it could be.

"It really feels like a new shift in Irish language stuff, I'm extremely excited to be a part of it," she added.

The film's producer Trevor Birney said that more than 100 cinemas would screen this film this weekend in Ireland.

He said the movie being nominated as the Irish entry for the Oscars was "unbelievable", and was a testament to the cast and crew.

"You're going to have to pinch me to make me believe all of this is happening," he said.

Kneecap opens in Irish cinemas on Thursday, 8 August.

Kneecap's origin movie is an against-the-odds triumph - read our full review here

Click here for more movie news

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