Sony Pictures Classics Takes Michael Fassbender Irish Rap Group Movie ‘Kneecap’ At Sundance

Prior to its Thursday night Sundance premiere here at Park City, Irish rap group biopic Kneecap was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics, Deadline has confirmed.

SPC is taking North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Turkey and Middle East on the feature directorial debut of Rich Peppiatt which stars the bandmembers playing themselves, read Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, and JJ Ó Dochartaigh. Michael Fassbender is their charimatic father turned political martyr. Kneecap is reportedly the first Irish-language movie to play Sundance.

Kneecap follows the anarchic Belfast trio who become figureheads of a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue. Pic was also written by Peppiatt from a story by Peppiatt, Ó Cairealláin, Óg Ó Hannaidh and Ó Dochartaigh. It was produced by Trevor Birney and Jack Tarling. 

Movie was bankrolled by BFI, awarding National Lottery funding; Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland; Coimisiún na Meán; TG4 and Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund and Screen Fund. It is presented in association with Great Point Media, Naughty Step, DMC Film and is a Fine Point Films and Mother Tongues Films Production in co-production with Wildcard. Variety had the news about Kneecap.