Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Irish language rap trio Kneecap are among a host of talent from the island to be shortlisted for the Oscars.
The film Kneecap has been shortlisted in the best international feature film category and for best original song for Sick In The Head.
The comedy movie, which also stars actor Michael Fassbender, follows the Belfast group on their mission to save their mother tongue through music, and is directed by Rich Peppiatt.
It comes after the group won their discrimination court battle against UK Leader of the Opposition and former business secretary Kemi Badenoch, after the UK Government conceded it was “unlawful” to refuse them a £14,250 Music Export Growth Scheme funding award.
Earlier this month, Kneecap scooped seven gongs at the British Independent Film Awards, including best British independent film.
Meanwhile The Apprentice, produced by Irish production company Tailored Films, has been shortlisted in the best makeup and hairstyling category, and Room Taken, a short film funded under Screen Ireland’s flagship Focus Shorts scheme and directed by TJ O’Grady-Peyton, is shortlisted for best live action short.
Nominations voting begins on January 8 and is set to conclude on January 12 ahead of the announcement of nominations on January 17 and the glitzy awards ceremony in March.
Peppiatt described a rollercoaster journey.
“If someone had walked into the pub in 2019 – back when me and Kneecap were still dreaming up what this movie could be – and they told us five years later we’d be in the running for Oscars, we’d probably have asked for a blast on whatever they were smoking,” he said.
This is the second time in history that a film in the Irish language has been shortlisted for the Academy Award for best international feature film – and to have three films shortlisted across various categories is an incredible achievement for Irish cinema
“It’s been a rollercoaster journey marked by a huge amount of hard graft and plenty good fun, and making it to that hallowed Hollywood red carpet would certainly be a grand way to finish it all off.”
Desiree Finnegan, chief executive of Screen Ireland, congratulated the creative teams behind Kneecap, The Apprentice and Room Taken on the shortlist announcements.
“This is the second time in history that a film in the Irish language has been shortlisted for the Academy Award for best international feature film – and to have three films shortlisted across various categories is an incredible achievement for Irish cinema,” she said.
The 97th Oscars will be held on March 2 2025 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
