As we edge closer to what is going to be a perfectly Irish summer, Dublin is coming alive in all its cinematic sunniness, and the best way to experience that is by going to one of the city’s many film clubs. April has already seen the launch of the Arab Film Club in Ireland with an afternoon of four incredible shorts in the Irish Film Institute. Founded by actress and Trinity graduate Sarah Agha, it grew out of an Arab play-reading club founded during the lockdown. The Light House has, of course, been running the fan-favourite Cinema Book Club, wherein they pick a book-to-film adaptation every month. There are also smaller, friendlier and more daring film gatherings happening all over the city, keeping the communal spirit of cinema alive. Run by passionate filmmakers and filmgoers, they are light on the pocket and offer creatively organised screenings and events, which are also lovely opportunities to connect with fellow Dubliners. Here is a list of some of the best and brilliant local film clubs to keep you filmically engaged over the summer:
Sass Mouth Dames
Sass Mouth Dames is a film club “dedicated to the time when women ruled Hollywood (1929-59)”. One of Dublin’s longest-running film clubs, it was started in 2017 by Megan McGurk and continues to recreate the magic of cinematic experience from days of nostalgia. Woman’s World (1954), Butterfield 8 (1960), and I Wake Up Screaming (1941) are some of the latest, oldest films they’ve shown. What I love about them is that they are all for reselling cancelled tickets, and you can get refunds up until noon on the day of the screening. More information can be found on their website and Instagram page @sassmouthdames.
Cult Movie Club
Started by podcaster and influencer Jenny Claffey, Cult Movie Club is all about the communal aspect of cinema (which includes the very important post-screening pizza). The club’s next film is the iconic 1989 Heathers, scheduled for April 23rd at The Devlin. Films shown in the past include Donnie Darko (2001) and The Love Witch (2016). More information can be found on Claffey’s Instagram page @jenny.claffey.
My Little Film Club
With a screening of Petite Maman (2021) in association with MUBI, Laoise Slattery started her little film club in 2022. The club’s permanent home is Slattery’s Pub, owned by Laoise’s uncle, who lets her host screenings in the upstairs bar. This is not all that is unique about this club; Laoise’s sister Ana personally designs posters for every single film that is screened, and they are all hung up in a makeshift exhibition in the gallery of the pub. Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar! (2021) was the club’s latest event, preceded by Girls and Boys (2025), Sorry, Baby (2025) and When Harry Met Sally (1989). The next meeting is on May 6th. To know which film they’ll be showing, keep an eye out on their Instagram @mylittlefilmclub.
Craft Cinema Club
Craft Cinema Club was born when members of the Vintage Inn Stitchers group decided they wanted to be able to thread needles while watching films together. The club is run solely by volunteers and is a wonderful space to meet crafter-cinephiles (generally half of their tickets are bought by people coming on their own). The club’s line-up is full of cosy, comforting films like Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Toy Story (1995), and The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026). More information can be found on their Instagram page @craftcinemadublin.
Queer Film Club
Queer Film Club is the child of GAZE and Outhouse, “celebrating LGBTQ+ stories in a welcoming, affirming space”. What’s interesting about this club is that they let the community of viewers curate their programme through suggestions and recommendations. Dating Amber (2020) and Beautiful Thing (1996) were their latest screenings, with the next scheduled for June. Joining the club is free, and registration is via a short and straightforward form on Outhouse’s website.
Solax Film Club
Ingrid Machado’s “pop-up arthouse cinema in Dublin” is a film club with an intelligent and sensitively curated programme. Machado, a Brazilian filmmaker, organises screenings in Galway and São Paulo as well, all of which are followed by 40-minute in-depth discussions. Some screenings even include activities like scrapbooking to encourage creative responses to the films watched. Solax also hosts an annual festival, (SOME)WHERE, exploring architecture and spatial dynamics in cinema. Their latest film was a screening of Persepolis (2007), which sold out in minutes, and Machado was compelled to hold a second screening by popular demand. The best way to keep track of Solax is through their newsletter. They also have an Instagram page @solaxfilmclub.
