Tucked away in Dublin’s busiest areas are a few of Ireland’s most authentic and unique cinemas. These are places that are more than entertainment, they’re experiences worth having. Offering a sense of comfort and creativity, they allow imaginations to come to life away from phones, laptops and TV screens. In a time when streaming services dominate media, it’s important to preserve spaces that make film feel alive again. The three cinemas in this guide are places where stories are told, retold and relived. Whether you’re looking for the latest releases or old classics, Dublin has a cinema for everyone.
Irish Film Institute (IFI)
Irish Film Institute, more colloquially known as the IFI, concealed within the bustling streets of Temple Bar, plays host to the best of international and Irish film culture, covering everything from new Irish releases and foreign language films, to the celebration of classics from its very own archives. The IFI especially emphasises on independent films, those that challenge and inspire. Right in the middle of the city, it is a refuge, an intimate space for conversation and discussion, or just a cup of tea at their Café Bar.
IFI runs a monthly ‘Bigger Picture’ strand as part of which they’ve shown films like Juzo Itami’s Tampopo, Céline Sciamma’s Petit Maman and Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Their ‘Archive at Lunchtime’ screenings are completely free to attend. The institute also runs its own documentary festival in September every year. Films and programmes aside, the best part of this cinema is its shop, full of books, DVDs, and even postcards.
IFI offers something more unique and authentic than the other cinemas and that is their streaming service, IFI@Home. This service gives viewers the opportunity to rent films and documentaries that have been shown at the IFI, from the comfort of their own homes, with renting starting at €4.99. Films like Gints Zilbalodis’ Flow, Sinéad O’Shea’s Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story and Katell Quillévéré’s Along Came Love are all currently available. Most importantly, IFI offers special free-to-join loyalty membership for 25 & Under. This includes €5 cinema tickets, 7 days a week and 15% off popcorn and soft drinks.
Light House Cinema
Light House Cinema, located in Smithfield, is a cultural space, an art cinema, and “committed to programming the best Irish and international films”. As you make your way to the theatre screens, you walk through its very own wall of fame, a collage of photographs of actors and filmmakers whose films have found a home here. Nestled two floors down into the earth, the cinema comes with a cafe and bar which even serve items customised to films.
Light House screens everything from short films, classics and blockbusters to foreign language films and animated films. This Smithfield location is home to some of Ireland’s most prestigious film festivals like the Dublin International Film Festival, Japanese Film Festival and the Gaze International LGBTQIA Film Festival. The cinema also curates programmes of its own, handpicking films according to the season. Recently, in honour of Celine Song’s Materialists, Lighthouse ran ‘Three’s Company’, a selection of cinematic love triangles which included Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers and Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in The World among others. Light House even runs a Cinema Book Club, wherein on the last Monday of every month they screen a book-to-film adaptation followed by a discussion. Their pick for September is Strangers on a Train – the book by Patricia Highsmith and the film directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Like the IFI, Light House also offers a loyalty membership for Under 25’s, as part of which you get €7 tickets Monday to Wednesday and €5 popcorn! With every €1 spent, you receive 1 point and points can later be redeemed for tickets.
Stella Cinema
Stella Cinema, located in the heart of Rathmines is truly a one-of-a-kind cinema. Get ready to relax in their soft, red velvet armchairs, couches or beds, while the mood lighting and classic popcorn dispensers set the tone. There is even an option to preorder food and drinks when booking your ticket to your seat for a more luxurious experience.
Stella organises a limited number of screenings a week, with a mix of classics like Spielberg’s Jaws and newer films like Jay Roach’s The Roses. Even though the tickets are on the pricier side (costing around €21 per person), they are definitely worth the opulence that Stella offers. They accommodate for all with even ‘Baby on Board’ Parent and Baby Screenings, to ensure a comfortable, stress-free environment for families.
