Northern Ireland

Kneecap movie lands further deals to be screened in Europe and Australia

Film telling the story of Belfast hip-hop group will hit cinemas later this year

Kneecap in a scene from Kneecap
A scene from Kneecap, telling the story of the Belfast hip-hop group of the same name and their rise to fame.
By Paul Ainsworth

The movie based on the rise of Irish language rappers Kneecap has landed new deals to be released in western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Kneecap, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival last month, had been acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, for release in North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Turkey and the Middle East.

Now the film, directed by Rich Peppiatt, has scored new territories deals for Paris-based sales and production house Charades, for release in Germany, Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Australia and New Zealand.

A deal was also struck for the film to be shown on airlines, while Charades is understood to be in discussions with distributors to release the film in the Nordic countries.

Rights to screen Kneecap in the Ireland and the UK had already been sold, and the film is set for release later this year.

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Starring Kneecap’s Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí as themselves, the film also stars Hunger’s Michael Fassbender and Peaky Blinders’ Simone Kirby.

The movie was produced by Fine Point Films, whose founder Trevor Birney has described the positive early reception for the film as a “break-out moment for Belfast”.

Kneecap won the coveted NEXT Audience Awards at Sundance, and became the first Irish language film to be premier at the prestigious festival.