Kneecap shake up Iftas and say they are going to go ‘back to roots'

Independent

14-02-2025

Rap trio Kneecap shook up the Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta) awards as they promoted the success of their multi-nominated Irish language film.
The film won four awards after receiving 17 nominations.
They have been nominated for six Baftas, which are being held on Sunday, including for outstanding British film.
The Belfast group descended on the red carpet in Dublin holding drinks and hugging fellow actors.
Say Nothing's Anthony Boyle wrapped his arms around his fellow actor on the series Tom Vaughan-Lawlor while he was being interviewed, explaining that he was 'in that energy' after speaking to Kneecap.
The rap trio and film's director played down the perceived Oscar nomination snub, after the film was shortlisted for Best International Feature and Sick In The Head was shortlisted for Best Original Song.
Mo Chara suggested it was 'a fix' and that it was to do with the band's support for Palestine.
But Moglai Bap said the past year had been 'class'.
'We put the film out we didn't expect it would do (so good). We didn't expect anyone in America to know what we were talking about,' to which Mo Chara interjected: 'And we were right.'
Moglai Bap added: 'They didn't know what we were on about, but they enjoyed it, that's a good sign.'
Asked about how to harness that power, he said they would go back to 'focus on the music', 'back to the language, back to the culture' in the time ahead.
'Just want to get back to my roots, man,' Mo Chara added.
Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt said that not getting nominated for an Oscar was soon forgotten.
'When we made this film we just made it for the people of west Belfast, we didn't do it for awards or anything like that, and any filmmaker will tell you you do it for the work,' he told the PA news agency.
'The film has had so much success – the Oscar thing was forgotten in about two pints. So we're not worried about that.
'It's been great, it's been a lovely experience, we're just very happy to be here, the amount of nominations we got, the Baftas, it's great.
'We like that we're in an international tussle between who wants to claim this film as their own. But – don't tell them – it's an Irish film, it's not a British one.'