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THE DIRECTOR of Kneecap has laughed off claims by the Belfast News Letter that the “Republican rappers’ film” suffered a “Bafta blow” by “only” winning one award at the ceremony on Sunday night.
Kneecap, a dramatised depiction of the rise of the Belfast rap trio of the same name who find themselves inadvertently becoming the face of a movement to preserve the Irish language, was nominated for six Baftas overall.
Director Rich Peppiatt scooped the award for ‘outstanding debut by a British writer, director or producer’.
However, a headline in the Belfast News Letter claimed it as a “Bafta blow for Kneecap”.
“Only win for Republican rappers’ film was English director picking up Best British Newcomer gong”, added the headline.
The Belfast News Letter is the world’s oldest English-language general daily newspaper still in publication and has a strong unionist leaning.
The article also claimed that Kneecap “failed” by missing out on winning the Outstanding Film Category to Conclave.
Peppiatt responded by posting a link to the article on X, alongside a laughing emoji.
— Rich Peppiatt (@richpeppiatt) February 17, 2025
The Belfast News Letter article also claimed that Kneecap “made a big show of going to the awards ceremony” and criticised the social media posts by the rap trio ahead of the event.
One such video showed an Irish flag balaclava covering the Palace of Westminster with a banner reading: “Swap you six Baftas for the six counties.”
We’re at the BAFTAs later - hopefully we steal a few to take back to Ireland.
— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) February 16, 2025
Don’t forget the British government still occupy Ireland and they’re flying spy missions over Gaza as we speak to help Zionist fanatics bomb kids.
Free Palestine
Free the Six Counties pic.twitter.com/ndC6SG7NAH
Kneecap also celebrated by draping the Bafta award in their trademark balaclava.
After party na mBAFTAs😅🇮🇪 #kneecap #richpeppiatt pic.twitter.com/yyfQyUUivq
— TG4 (@TG4TV) February 17, 2025
Musicians Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh), Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin) and DJ Próvaí (J.J. Ó Dochartaigh) made their acting debuts in Kneecap, which also stars Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Jessica Reynolds and Fionnuala Flaherty.
Accepting the award for outstanding debut at the Royal Festival Hall in London on Sunday, Peppiatt said he was “absolutely honoured to be standing here”.
He said Kneecap is “more than a film”.
“It’s a movement and it’s about how everyone should have their language respected, their culture respected and their homeland respected,” said Peppiatt when accepting the award.
“This award is dedicated to everyone who is out there fighting that fight,” he added.
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No surprise there then. Party of sham
@Kevin Conway: u think it only happens there
Can anyone think at this stage that ANY govt has its peoples wellfare at heart … a resounding NO. All rotten to the core.
@Lydia McLoughlin: wow wow hold yer horses there lydia. Yep u right
@Lydia McLoughlin: critical thought would tell me that if the Democrats are the ones that brought the bill forward, well then they have the publics and interest at heart.
@Lydia McLoughlin: at least Biden is making some sort of attempt to fix it.
@Kevin Conway: I dunno. The pessimist in me always thinks it’s all a front. Promise this, promise that but its only half hearted or it turns out it can’t be done anyway .. our lot are masters at it! Only those consulted benefit by producing report after report to come back and report it can’t be done!
Yes Minister springs to mind!
I just find it interesting this article did not say the reason the Republicans voted against it. Yes we heard why the Democrats think they voted against it but not their own response. Usually when Republicans vote against something that seems to make sense they have a reason that isnt as nonsensical as this article suggests. Im not saying I agree with them I’m just saying this is biased.
@Sean Casey: Yes, it does make sense. They want the dark money since it benefits them more than the Democrats.
@Peter Peterski: Why wasnt Mitch McConnells reasoning covered in the article?
@Peter Peterski: even though the article says the democrats benefited substantially more $1.5 million compared to $900k
@Anthony Mcgee: 1.5 BILLION versus 900 million. Just a tiny bit more.
Unfortunately In the end you get “the best government money can buy”.
Both sides are guilty but it would seem the Democrat party is at least willing to change the rules.
The amount of money (that doesn’t have to be declared where it comes from) that’s spent by on political advertising is phenomenal.
Less than 7 weeks to go until the midterms, in the US you can’t watch TV or watch anything online without being bombarded constantly by political attack ads.
This election cycle I’ve noticed that “radical” seems to be the buzzword. The 2 candidates for senate and the 2 candidates for governor in my state are running ads where they both just accuse and call each other “too radical for Wisconsin”
Political donations are corruption, plain and simple
Breaking news! facts in an article completely contradict the headline…
The irony of the democratic party bemoaning nefarious uses of political funding in American elections, while they themselves are funding extreme far right candidates in the US primaries to both make the Republican party look as far right as possible by association and also because they believe they can motivate undecided voters to vote for the democratic party candidates if the perceived alternative candidate is a far right looney that they themselves promoted into the political spotlight..
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/09/12/democrats-interfere-republican-primaries/
Just to add, the amount of money spent by the Democratic party funding far right candidates in the current US primaries, is an eye watering $50 million to date.
@David Van-Standen: they want the ‘radical’ Republican candidate to win the Republican primary because they reckon the mad radical Republican candidate will lose to the Democrat candidate in the actual election in November. They are funding the weakest Republican in the primary so they beat them in the election.
It’s not for ideological reasons it’s so they can beat them in the actual election.
The Republicans did the same, backing Bernie Sanders to win against Hillary in the Democratic primaries.
It’s inherently risky, the mad radical they think will lose can end up winning sometimes.
After all, Hillary Clinton lost to Trump in 2016.
@Diaspora’d: thanks, that’s what i said.
I never claimed it was ideologically motivated, just a nefarious use of funding, in an attempt to rig the ultimate outcome in favour of the democratic party, while also slinging muck at the Republican party.
I just cannot figure how the Irish Government hrre have been able to afford Brexit, Covid, and, now the cost of living crisis it seems is going to bring a give away budget! Who is bank-rolling them? and Why?
Remember they announced a surplus of €6.3bn recently!
@Caoimhghin Whyte: the EU massively supported the Covid measures.
The benefits of being in the bloc are there to be seen.
Republicans cannot stand against corruption and still support Trump. They don’t want to live in denial. Might as well defend corrupt money and don’t be called hypocrite later
Just like ours.
Biden could be on fire and the Republicans wouldn’t urinate on him to put it out. They wouldn’t do that for any democrat and that’s what’s wrong with politics in this day and age, the most basic concepts of civility is dead and gone
Dark money is that given to the Democratic party by the likes of Planned parenthood (who make a profit and promote abortion).
Should cap all donations to say around 50′id say
have your say