Michael Whelan, a senior copywriter with Boys + Girls has been shortlisted for an Oscar in the Best Live Action Short category. The Oscars will take place in March 2025.
The short film was written by Whelan, directed by TJ O’Grady and produced by Colmán Mac Cionnaith for Vico Films has already been an awards sensation with over 17 awards and another 5 nominations internationally – including winning the best short at Dunlin International Film Festival.
“‘Room Taken’ follows Isaac, newly arrived in Ireland and looking for a place to stay, when he secretly moves into the home of Victoria, an elderly blind woman, leading them to form a unique bond.
The film has been fully funded by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland under the agency’s flagship short film scheme, Focus Shorts. Irish actor and “The Penguin” star Colin Farrell is the film’s executive producer
“‘Room Taken’ is such a gentle cry to the power of human connection. It treats loneliness and grief and the struggle of the immigrant with such a gentle hand, bringing its character and narrative threads together beautifully. The film wears its compassion – along with its heart – on its sleeve with tender performances and a story that stayed with me long after viewing. For these reasons I was thrilled to be asked to be a part of helping ‘Room Taken’ find as wide an audience as possible,” Farrell.
The movie can currently be viewed through Omeloto on YouTube
