Kneecap wins top prize at independent film awards

Irish-language film Kneecap has won seven British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), including the top honor - Best British Independent Film.

Kneecap, which is based on a semi-fictionalised account of how the west Belfast rap trio was formed, also took Best Debut Screenwriter for Rich Peppiatt and Best Joint Lead for trio Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh.

The film dominated the awards with 14 nominations.

The winners of the 27th British Independent Film Awards were announced during a ceremony in London's Roundhouse on Sunday evening.

On the red carpet, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, better known as Móglaí Bap, explained why he thought the film had resonated with audiences.

"There's a lot of people who suffered under imperialism and colonialism and a lot of people see themselves in the story of it," he said.

"Minority languages, minority cultures getting their shake at the stake."

Bandmate Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh (Mo Chara), said: "We thought it was a film about the Irish language, but languages that have been oppressed is an international story and a lot of people related to it."

Minority groups, such as Native Americans and Aboriginal Australians, "can see themselves in the story", he added.

Director Rich Peppiatt said when he first met the band "they weren't signed and rapping in a language not many people spoke".

"It didn't really scream, you know, big movie potential... but there was something that just connected," he said.

"Their approach to promoting indigenous language and culture was something that I just thought was a really important message."

It became the first Irish-language film to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the NEXT audience award.

The film met rave reviews upon its premiere, external with The Hollywood Reporter describing it as "gleefully irreverent".

The Irish Film & Television Academy has selected Kneecap to represent Ireland in the International Feature Film category at the upcoming 97th annual Academy Awards.