June Butler surveys the horror of the housing market in her review of Irish short Conveyance.
Conveyance, a horror/comedy short film written and directed by Gemma Creagh, received its international premiere at the FrightFest strand at the Glasgow Film Festival 2025. Screening to a sold-out audience of over 500, the film was the only non-UK title featured at Short Film Showcase, which itself was the first of its kind held under the sponsorship of the popular Scottish Festival.
Set squarely amid the housing crisis in Ireland, Conveyance depicts a young couple. Suzanne (Chrissie Cronin) and Brian (Patrick Martins) who are searching for a home at a price they can afford. The film opens with a slow, single beat, sounding both familiar and tense all at once. Suzanne comes into view and this note speeds up to become the recognisable sound of pedestrian light at a road-crossing. The integration of eerie noise into quotidian mundanity sets the tone for what ensues. Suzanne espies Brian across the road. Distracted by an ominous black cat, Brian heads towards Suzanne, almost getting hit by a bus in the process. The first jump scare of many. Suzanne’s fear, then relief, is palpable, as Brian reappears unharmed. The title sequence showcases the grimy rooms of a grotesque flat, with shaking camera shots overlaid on the background. These strong visual touches with homage to Lynchian techniques of cinematography at the hands of DOP Jaro Waldeck. The place is dismal, dirty, damp and mouldy. And eerie too. Empty of atmosphere and half-decent décor, the entire property looks like it should be razed to the ground and rebuilt.
Later, in the office of local estate agent Greg (Matty McCabe), Suzanne and Brian, gaze with horror at that decrepit property on offer. That is until Greg announces that the property has now been sold and is off the market. Later, when Suzanne and Brian arrive back at Brian’s rented accommodation, thinking they would be alone, a strange sound poses a threat. It’s Brian’s flatmate…The less said about this part the better but it ranks up there as one of the funnier moments depicted in a short film I have seen to date. The comic timing of Travis Nelson (The Lake, Netflix) as Fabrice is absolute genius.
After some sleuthing, Suzanne tricks Greg – the worst estate agent in the world – into showing them a beautiful, modern and tastefully furnished apartment, with a balcony and stunning views. Suzanne blurts out an offer, and Greg dismissively guffaws. However, he soon returns, bewildered. Not only has the vendor accepted considerably less than the asking price, the furniture will be included in the sale. Delighted, both Suzanne and Brian buy the apartment, which is where their problem really starts.
There are times throughout where Suzanne and Brian’s intimate connection to each other comes under threat by external figures of supposed authority who have no input to their relationship. Part of Conveyance highlights how well-meaning advice can unintentionally destroy and destabilise. Creagh’s film cleverly steers the story through this minefield with understanding and tenderness. The casting and chemistry in Conveyance was bang on.
From start to finish, Gemma Creagh guides and directs with a degree of authority that belies the fact that this is her directorial debut. Creagh’s timing is spot on – underpinning hints of horror with instants of spontaneous and side-splitting humour. Maintaining a continuous level of cortisol can be utterly exhausting, but interspersing the story with a wry comment or witty aside allows for a rich balance that draws viewers further into the narrative. Gemma Creagh has directed an absolute gem of a film, and it is worthy of every accolade it receives.
Conveyance screened at the FrightFest Short Film Showcase on 8th March 2025 at Glasgow Film Theatre.
