Interview with Jenny Claffey

Going to the cinema is always something special, but for one film fanatic, today’s choices on the big screen just aren’t enough. Taking matters into her own hands, Jenny Claffey created Cult Movie Club — a monthly screening series of some of her all-time cult classics — offering a relaxing evening with like-minded people at The Devlin Hotel in Ranelagh.

Having already garnered a massive following across both Instagram and TikTok, it’s no wonder that the Cult Movie Club has become a huge hit, with tickets selling out in just hours. With all the club’s recent success, I had to ask Jenny some much-needed questions about her own love of film, how it all started, and what’s next for the Cult Movie Club.

 Where are you based?

I’m based in Dublin 3, but the movie club happens in Ranelagh at The Devlin Hotel. 

Where did the idea for Cult Movie Club begin?

I’ve been a full time content creator for 7 years now, and over the years my content has evolved into recommending and discussing literature and film, primarily. 

I noticed that people were resonating with the films I was recommending, but also that people were writing to me saying they couldn’t find where to stream them, or that they didn’t know where to begin with expanding their knowledge of cinema. 

At the same time I was itching to create something that was away from the digital landscape, I wanted to create a community element to my already existing online presence, and thought a movie club would be the perfect medium to do so. I could essentially kill two birds with one stone; I could screen some of my favourite cult classics, and provide a space for like-minded individuals to meet and enjoy some great movies!

 What is it that makes Cult Movie Club stand out from just going to the cinema?

It’s really the community element that makes it so different, I think. I wanted to provide a place where other movie lovers could meet fellow cinephiles. The option is always there to come alone (lots of people do!) and we have the space in The Devlin Hotel to ourselves for the night, so we always end up staying late and chatting about the movie. 

I also provide pizzas for the post-movie chats! It’s such a fun night if you want to meet people, but of course, there is no pressure. 

Where does your love of films come from?

I’ve been a movie lover as long as I can remember, really. I was obsessed with The Little Mermaid by the age of 2 and my childhood is really marked with whatever my favourite film was that year, whether it was Grease, Titanic, The Never Ending Story or The Princess Bride. 

My parents really nurtured that love of film too, especially my Dad, who taught me that subtitles were nothing to fear from a young age. Some of my favourite childhood memories were DVD shopping with him in the now-closed LASER store on Georges Street or renting our weekly movie in Chartbusters in Phibsborough. My Dad still talks about how I’d order everyone in the household to sit down and shut up once RTE’s “Big Big Movie” began, and I’m still like that… I can’t stand it when someone is half-watching something! 

When I joined Tumblr as a college student, my taste really expanded, and I went on a mission to discover more avant-garde film. My love of books and reading has always fed into my love of film tool, as I see them as two sides to the same coin. 

How do you decide what movie to screen each month?

It’s a mix between seasonality (e.g, Halloween screenings) and my own personal preference, as selfish as that sounds! I want to show movies that I have never had the chance to see on the big screen, and ones that have a cult following. It’s really hard to only choose one!

If you could screen films from only one director for Cult Movie Club, who would you choose and why?

Anyone who knows me knows I am a David Lynch superfan (as stereotypical as that is for someone who loves the movies) and I would love to host a Lynchian marathon. I think his movies need to be experienced on the big screen, in an environment where you’re willing to totally surrender to the experience.

I’m hoping I can put on one or two of his movies in January 2026, for the anniversary of his passing. 

What has been your favourite Cult Movie Club screening thus far and why?

I loved Jawbreaker. It’s a movie that I absolutely adored as a teenager but almost nobody at the screening had seen it before, so it was so much fun to chat to everyone afterwards and hear what they thought. 

What is the future of Cult Movie Club? What's next?

There’s so much I want to do with Cult Movie Club, I’d love to host screenings at film festivals, I’d love to host panels and interviews with directors and cinephiles of cult-classics and I would love to take it on tour around Ireland, as I know the importance of not doing everything in Dublin. 

I’m also a podcaster at heart, so a Cult Movie Club podcast is definitely something I’d love to consider at some point. 

Other than that, I have so many cool movies that I’m planning on screening into 2026 so I’m really looking forward to making the night as fun and collaborative as possible.  

Interviewer/Writer - Jack Murray - @Jack.mrry

Editor - Niall.030

Interviewee -  instagram : @jenny.claffey