June Butler checks in for her review of Oscar-shortlisted short, Room Taken.

An insightful short film, executive produced by Colin Farrell and directed by the immensely skilled TJ O’Grady-Peyton, brings the Irish housing crisis into sharp focus. Isaac (Gabriel Adewusi), a Nigerian refugee, encounters serious hardship as he desperately tries to find somewhere to stay. Night after night, he struggles to locate a safe haven, hiding out in bedsits and rented rooms as his friends risk being evicted themselves by smuggling him into their accommodation under the noses of disapproving landlords.

His story begins with Isaac being roused by his friend Samuel (Walé Adebusuyi), who tells him that Isaac must leave the flat before his landlady awakens. It is still dark outside. Later, Isaac is seen visiting the offices of a charity organisation, where he is told there are no available places for him to sleep. Isaac sleeps rough as a group of rowdy drunks in the background shout and fight, the sounds of bottles smashing on the ground echoing through the night.

The following day, Isaac is in a café where he encounters a blind woman, Vicky (Bríd Brennan). There is no verbal exchange between the pair. Vicky leaves but forgets her shopping bag. Isaac chases after her and catches up just as she is entering her home. She tells Isaac to come in and leave the bag on the table. While Vicky is elsewhere in the house, Isaac pretends to exit, only to quietly tiptoe up the stairs into a spare room, where he finally falls asleep.

Director TJ O’Grady-Peyton went to great lengths to ensure that the core message in Room Taken was approached with sensitivity and respect for the actors who banded together in showcasing a story that needs to be told. He cast people who had once endured the same privations as Isaac to lend a greater degree of believability to the drama. A Visual Impairment Consultant worked closely with actress Bríd Brennan, engendering a sense of authenticity in Brennan’s role. What makes this film so special is the attention to the workings of world-building. This film presents a commitment to witnessing the humanity of anotherwe pass each other on the street, walk side by side with multitudes, yet can live in a bubble of lonelinessa realm of unobservant emptiness. O’Grady-Peyton has given a voice to that existence by bringing it centre-stage, however uncomfortable that may be for those who ignore the sadness of others. Room Taken is fully deserving of all accolades accorded to it.

Director: TJ O’Grady-Peyton
Written by: Michael Whelan
Music: Jamal Green
Run time: 18.29 minutes

Room Taken has been shortlisted to represent Ireland at the Oscars 2025.

 

In Focus: TJ O’Grady-Peyton

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