TJ O’Grady Peyton’s Endearing Oscar-Qualified Short ROOM TAKEN: Interview/Film Breakdown

Ladies and gentlemen, TJ O’Grady-Peyton’s short 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.

I can see why this film is a multi-award winning short film. The cinematography is excellent and gives you the true reality of both characters lives. Composer Jamal Green sees beyond the characters and brings forth a rhythmic music score that dances between two different worlds that collide out of an unknown need for each other.

ROOM TAKEN is one of the most endearing and beautiful stories I’ve seen this year and actually left a happy tear in my eyes. Keep your eye on this Oscar-qualified short film.

Director TJ O’Grady-Peyton, an Irish filmmaker who first gained recognition at the Young Director Awards at Cannes in 2013. He has received awards at prestigious festivals and 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.

TJ’s newest short film, the beautiful and endearing 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 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.

This poignant short has qualified to be considered for the 2025 Academy Awards after winning “Best Short Film” at the 2024 Cleveland International Film Festival. 

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