Lenny Abrahamson on Room and Oscar nominations

Irish director Lenny Abrahamson has been earning rave reviews for his latest movie Room, based on the book by author Emma Donoghue.

The film has been a critical darling since it debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in late 2015 and has been picking up momentum in the awards race, with the latest triumph being star Brie Larson picking up a Golden Globe for Best Actress at the weekend. It's great news for a small and intimate film and quite naturally puts the film in the frame for potential Oscar nominations.

Abrahamson was out last night to introduce the Irish premiere of Room and it was pointed out that the Oscar nominations are being announced this Thursday the 14th of January, which he was probably aware of. The director was then asked about his thoughts on potentially being up there with the best films of the year. And he had a most eloquent reply.

He's very philosophical about it: "If we get any nominations at all for a film of this scale with material like this, I think that would be an incredible triumph... let's see what happens."

It's a good attitude and fitting for someone who has gone from the very small setting of What Richard Did to the world stage with Frank and now Room in a few short years but, for what it's worth, we're certainly the film will be recognised in at least one or two categories in the upcoming nominations.

The Oscar 2016 nominations will be announced at 5.30am PST on Thursday the 14th of January with the ceremony taking place on the 28th of February 2016.

Room is in Irish cinemas on the 15th of January.