TJ O'Grady-Peyton's OSCAR® Qualified ROOM TAKEN shares a beautiful story of two outsiders who form an unexpected connection

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TJ O’Grady-Peyton’s ROOM TAKEN follows Isaac, who, in a desperate need for a place to stay, finds an unexpected answer to his temporary homelessness when he takes refuge in the home of Victoria, an elderly blind woman, without her knowledge. As these two strangers coexist, a touching and unexpected bond forms between the unlikely pair. This poignant short has qualified to be considered for the 2025 Oscars® after winning”Best Short Film” at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF). It also qualified by becoming a finalist in Manhattan Short 2024, where it will screen with 9 other films in over 500 venues globally.

When Isaac needs somewhere to sleep, he secretly moves into the home of an elderly blind woman, leading them to form a unique bond.

ROOM TAKEN tackles pressing themes including the challenges faced by asylum seekers and the rising homelessness population in Ireland. Not only that but it also shines a light on the growing epidemic of isolation and loneliness in the elderly communities, especially those that may find that their independence is being threatened, by old age or disability. Room Taken celebrates the importance of community and of coexistence, something that is all too timely and relevant today. The film, so far, has been selected for over 39 Film Festivals, and has won 10 awards, including “Best Irish Short Film” at the Dublin International Film Festival, and nominated for “Best International Short Film” and “Grand Prix Irish Short Film” at Flickerfest and the Cork International Film Festival respectively.

Director TJ O’Grady-Peyton is an Irish filmmaker who first gained recognition at the Young Director Awards at Cannes in 2013. He has received awards at prestigious festivals, including the “Discovery Award” at the Dublin International Film Festival and the” Bingham Ray New Talent Award” at the Galway Film Fleadh. His films have been showcased at Tribeca, Clermont-Ferrand, BFI London, and on Disney+ and The New Yorker. His short film WAVE won an Irish Film and Television Award in 2018 and SILENCE earned a nomination in 2021.

Writer Michael Whelan is a seasoned Senior Copywriter in the Irish advertising industry. In 2016, he used his creative skills to highlight social issues with a powerful campaign for St Vincent de Paul (SVP). The Initiative transformed a SVP shop into a ‘Hidden Homeless’ estate agency window, drawing attention to the housing crisis in Ireland. This experience, plus a personal connection to an elderly blind woman, provided inspiration for his first screenplay, ROOM TAKEN. He is also the founder of Reeling in the Weird, a social media platform with over 149,000 followers on Instagram.

Colmán Mac Cionnaith is a Dublin-based producer. Over the years, he has worked internationally on projects like the popular TV series Supergirl and the Nickelodeon series The Astronauts, produced by Ron Howard. Colmán works for Vico Films in Ireland as their in-house development producer, where he is currently engaged in producing and developing a wide range of feature films, TV series and short films. One of his most notable works as producer is EVERY FIVE MILES, a powerful movie directed by Oscar-nominated director Vincent Lambe.

This touching short has qualified for the 2025 Oscars®.