Creative team behind Kneecap movie form new production company in Belfast

The team behind Irish language hip hop trio Kneecap’s movie have formed their own production company in Belfast.

Coup d’état Films will be headed by director Rich Peppiatt (Kneecap, One Rogue Reporter) and producer Trevor Birney (No Stone Unturned, Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing).

Variety report that the new creative venture will be based in Belfast with a main focus on original scripted content.

A number of domestic and international projects are already said to be in the works.

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“Trevor and I are kindred spirits when it comes to anarchic, provocative filmmaking,” Mr Peppiatt said.

“We believe there’s an irreplaceable power in the collective experience of cinema. And we believe in the north of Ireland — and its talent and crew — as a world class production base.

“We see what friends like Element Pictures have done in the south of Ireland and see no reason that success can’t be emulated here.”

The new company was announced on the first day of the Galway Film Fleadh, where Kneecap will serve as the festival opener.

Already a surprise hit at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, where it won the NEXT audience award, Kneecap was picked up by Sony Pictures Classics.

It will finally be presented to general audiences next month with a US cinema release on August 2 and across Irish and UK cinemas in the following weeks.