Irish punk rappers Kneecap nominated for the BAFTA Awards
Irish punk rappers Kneecap from West Belfast are about to shake up the world with their alternative views and have excelled to the dizzy heights of being nominated for the BAFTA awards.
Rich Peppiatt’s KNEECAP has earned six nominations at the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, including recognition in the categories of Outstanding British Film, Outstanding Debut, Film Not in the English Language, Original Screenplay, Casting (Carla Stronge), and Editing (Julian Ulrichs, Chris Gill).
The critically acclaimed Irish box office sensation will compete for these accolades at a ceremony attended by BAFTA president Prince William, set to take place on Sunday, 16th February at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in central London.
Reacting to the nominations, writer-director Rich Peppiatt said: “It’s a huge honour as a filmmaker to see your work recognised by some of the best in the business that make up BAFTA.
“nd the idea of Prince William handing an award to Kneecap is already the best thing that could happen in 2025, and it’s only January…”
Kneecap added: “For long enough the British government has stolen Ireland’s treasures, and even our fucking food – there was no famine.
“To be first-time actors and now get to hopefully go over and take a few bits back the other way is a nice change and long may it continue. Ireland taking British awards is fucking hilarious. This acting business is handy.”
Peppiatt’s film stars the members of the West Belfast rap trio Kneecap (Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Próvaí) alongside an ensemble cast including Oscar® nominee Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds and Adam Best.
Set in West Belfast in 2019, when fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of Naoise and Liam Óg, the needle drops on a hip hop act like no other.
Rapping in their native Irish language, the trio create their own genre of Irish punk rap, melding the Irish and English language with electrifying energy.
Their writing and performance reimagine what rap can be as a creative and cultural force, rooted in community. Kneecap ultimately become the unlikely figureheads of a Civil Rights movement to save their mother tongue, upending preconceptions about language and place and spearheading a cultural revival and interest from their legions of young followers.
The BAFTA nominations arrive hot on the heels of 17 IFTA nods announced yesterday, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, and an extraordinary triple Lead Actor recognition for Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh.
Over the weekend, the film earned the prestigious FIPRESCI Prize for Best Actor in an International Feature Film, awarded collectively to the Kneecap trio at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Additionally, it has been shortlisted for two Academy Awards®, including Best International Feature and Best Original Song for “Sick in the Head”. The Oscar® nominations will be announced on 23rd January.
KNEECAP premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2024, where it won the coveted NEXT Audience Award. Following its world debut, the film captivated audiences at major festivals like Sundance London, Karlovy Vary, Tallinn Black Nights, Tribeca, and SXSW.
As the opening feature at the Galway Film Fleadh, it struck a chord with Irish audiences, earning three awards, including the Audience Award. Last month, the film dominated the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA), taking home seven awards, including Best British Independent Film, Best Debut Screenwriter (Peppiatt), Best Joint Lead Performance, Best Casting, Best Editing, Best Original Music, and Best Music Supervision.
It is also a contender for the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
The film 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, TG4, Dias Feld and Kamila Serkebaeva, with backing from Great Point Media.
KNEECAP is currently available to rent or buy on DVD and Video on Demand platforms, and will be broadcast on TG4 in 2026.
ABOUT KNEECAP (Official Biography).
Condemned by politicians, beloved by fans, kicked out of their own gigs, and packing festival tents to overflow, Kneecap are a cultural phenomenon. Since they emerged from a squat in West Belfast, Kneecap have created their own genre of Irish punk rap, melding the Irish and English language with electrifying energy, and spearheading a cultural revival.
With shows and tracks flip between satirical performance art and rampageous raves, meet Móglaí Bap, Mo Chara, and DJ Próvaí. Heralded by the New York Times, the LA Times, Dazed, Vice, i-D, the Guardian, and others, Kneecap’s irreverent, complex, and potent lyrics speak to a time of political upheaval, youthful rebellion and discontent, and a renewed urge to party.