The new Irish-language film Kneecap, "the origin story of the riotous and ground-breaking" Belfast rap trio of the same name, is to receive its world premiere at the iconic Sundance Film Festival in Utah next month - the first Irish-language movie to receive such an honour.
The film will screen on the festival's opening night, Thursday 18 January, as part of Sundance's NEXT strand of "pure, bold works", with producers saying it is the first non-US film to be selected for the NEXT section.
The Rich Peppiatt-directed Kneecap stars Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí from the group in their acting debuts alongside Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, and Josie Walker.
The film is set in west Belfast in 2019 and tells the story of how Kneecap formed and went on to "change the sound of Irish music forever".
"When I first set out to make a film in a language I didn't speak, set in a place I'm not from, little could I have imagined four years later we would be introducing Kneecap the movie to the world at the Mecca of Independent cinema," said writer-director Peppiatt.
"It's an honour to be breaking new ground for Irish-language cinema with a film that surprises and provokes every bit as much as Kneecap's music."
Kneecap said that they are "buzzing" to bring their music from west Belfast to the big screen and to premiere at Sundance.
"We're immensely proud of the film and can't wait to get it to cinemas around the world," they added.
Among the Irish films to screen at Sundance in the past are: John Crowley's Brooklyn, Yorgos Lanthimos' The Lobster, John Carney's Sing Street and Lee Cronin's The Hole in the Ground.
Kneecap includes Belfast's Fine Point Films, Dublin's Wildcard Distribution, and London's Mother Tongues Films among its producers.
Among the organisations that funded the film are: Northern Ireland Screen, the Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Meán, and TG4.
Kneecap will be released in Irish cinemas in 2024, with Kneecap's debut album also due next year.
The Sundance Film Festival runs from 18-28 January 2024 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah.
