The Brit 50: Fine Point Films

Need to know: Fine Point Films has produced a steady stream of documentaries since the Belfast-­based company launched a decade ago, but it was Rich Peppiatt’s Bafta-­winning Kneecap in 2025 that put the company on the map, as its confident first foray into scripted. Documentary credits include Bobby Sands: 66 Days in 2016 and 2019’s Gaza, as well as several films with US documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney, including No Stone Unturned (company founder Trevor Birney first met Gibney over a Guinness at Galway Film Fleadh in 2008).

The team of around 10 is now ramping up its scripted slate alongside its docs, including Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn’s Saipan, starring Steve Coogan. The Toronto 2025 world premiere will be released in the UK-Ireland by Vertigo and Wildcard in early 2026.

Birney has also launched a separate production venture with Peppiatt, Coup D’Etat Films, through which Peppiatt’s future projects will be produced. They are working on an adaptation of academic book Bad Bridget by Leanne McCormick and Elaine Farrell. All projects through Coup d’Etat Films, Birney says, will be written and/or directed by Peppiatt.

“It’s a punky kind of company,” says Birney, “that’s always going to do things that are unexpected, and attempting to always be somehow revolutionary.”

Key personnel: Trevor Birney, founder; Andrew Tully, head of documentary production; Anna Callen, development executive.

Incoming: Giving support to emerging Irish talent on both sides of the border is at the core of the company’s mission, with Patrick O’Neill of Wildcard and Wild Atlantic Pictures a regular partner. Earlier this year, the company wrapped on UK-Ireland co-production You’ll Never Believe Who’s Dead from Dallan Shovlin, a second assistant director on Kneecap. The dark Christmas heist film, co-produced with Wildcard, has funding from UK Global Screen Fund, Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen.

Fine Point is in development on an untitled film directed by Terry George, based on events that led to the IRA ceasefire in 1994, which is planned to shoot next year. The company also has co-productions with Australia and Canada in the works.

Trevor Birney says: “The challenge for Northern Ireland specifically is to support indigenous talent. We’ve been supporting incoming productions and doing them amazingly well. We need to build support for our indigenous writers, directors, producers and on-screen talent.”

Contact: info@finepointfilms.com

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