Rich Peppiatt’s KNEECAP has been officially selected for South by Southwest (SXSW) 2024. The film festival will take place in Austin, Texas from March 8th - 16th.
KNEECAP will have its Texas Premiere at SXSW 2024, following their success at Sundance Film Festival, which saw the Irish language film win an Audience Award and get acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution.
Based on the origin story of Irish-language rap trio Kneecap, the film stars the band’s Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí in their acting debuts alongside 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”.
KNEECAP recently had its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival, the first ever Irish language film to be selected for the festival. Following this the film was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics for distribution, and shortly after won the festival’s Audience Award. This marked the first Irish feature film to win an award at the festival since John Carney’s Once in 2007. KNEECAP is now set for release in North America and other global markets.
SXSW 2024’s lineup features 115 features, comprising 89 World Premieres, 3 International Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. Premieres, 13 Texas Premieres, as well as 80 Short Films including 19 Music Videos. South by Southwest began in 1987 and has continued growing in both scope and size every year.
Other Irish projects featured at SXSW this year include Pale Rebel Productions’ Sound and Colour, starring Alison Oliver (Saltburn) and written/directed by Emma Foley (Dead Run), as well as Damian McCarthy’s directorial debut Oddity, produced by Keeper Pictures. 3 Body Problem, starring Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), is the Opening Night TV Premiere of SXSW 2024.
KNEECAP was produced by Jack Tarling and Trevor Birney 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, Screen Ireland, the BFI (awarding National Lottery funding), Coimisiún na Meán and TG4, with backing from Great Point Media.
KNEECAP will be released in Irish cinemas by Wildcard and Curzon in 2024.
