Kneecap, an Irish-language rap comedy starring Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh, has taken home seven prizes at the British Independent Film Awards (Bifas). The film won top honors for Best British Independent Film, and its lead actors received a joint award for Best Joint Lead Performance. Director Rich Peppiatt also won Best Debut Screenwriter.
The Belfast-set movie features Michael Fassbender in an appearance as a former republican paramilitary. It was jointly funded by the BFI, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, and Northern Ireland Screen, making it Ireland’s entry for the Best International Feature Film Oscar.
Kneecap joins other double winners on the night, including Rungano Nyoni who won Best Director for On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, and Sandhya Suri who took home Best Screenplay for Santosh. Marianne Jean-Baptiste received a major award for her lead performance in Mike Leigh’s Hard Truths.
The full list of winners includes:
* Best British independent film: Kneecap
* Best international independent film: Anora
* Best feature documentary: Witches
* Best director: Rungano Nyoni, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
* Best screenplay: Sandhya Suri, Santosh
* Best lead performance: Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Hard Truths
* Best joint lead performance: Kneecap cast
* Best ensemble performance: Wicked Little Letters
* Best debut director: Christopher Andrews, Bring Them Down
* Best debut director – feature documentary: Pinny Grylls and Sam Crane, Grand Theft Hamlet
* Breakthrough producer: Balthazar De Ganay, James Bowsher, Santosh
* Breakthrough performance: Susan Chardy, On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
* Best debut screenwriter: Rich Peppiatt, Kneecap
* Raindance Maverick award: Grand Theft Hamlet
* Best British short film: Wander to Wonder
* Outstanding contribution by an actor to British film: Sophie Okonedo
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/dec/09/irish-rap-comedy-kneecap-tops-british-independent-film-awards