'It is a place to belong': Homeless cafe film screenings a huge hit

A volunteer at Tiglin homeless cafe dispenses popcorn at the centre's movie night. Picture: Sam Boal

The lights were dimmed, the popcorn was primed, and the opening credits rolled to the 1973 James Bond movie Live and Let Die. For those watching at the Tiglin homeless cafe, it was that rarest thing — a night in.

The Friday evening movie screenings at the cafe on Pearse St in Dublin city centre have been running for little over a month, but according to the facility's manager, Allen Bobinac, as many as 50 people attend. He believes up to a third are rough sleeping, the vast majority are in emergency accommodation. The room with the images flickering on the white wall is a place of sanctuary.

"It's truly a mixture," he says of those attending. "It's a good place."

Originally from Croatia, Mr Bobinac, 25, has lived in Ireland since 2015 and has been working in different roles with Tiglin for four years. It was Tiglin which helped him when he was homeless for a year not long after arriving here.

He said things have worked out "pretty well" for him, adding: "This isn't about me but I was actually homeless seven years ago when I came to Ireland and I actually slept in Merchant's Quay [homeless cafe, now closed], so I am pretty familiar with the whole system.

Volunteers at the cafe on movie night. Picture: Sam Boal

"The way I look at it is, what do you need if you are homeless? So it needs to be peace and quiet and if people cause trouble you have to regulate it.

It is a place to belong. If you have no family, no house, moving from place to place and you are always alert. So we create an environment where you can relax, even if it's just for one hour. That's what human beings need."

The cafe is open from 7pm-10pm Tuesdays to Fridays and Mr Bobinac
said he had seen the changing trends writ large across the homeless sector: more young people, more people who are working but struggling to find a place to live. He spoke recently with a student from Scandinavia who attended for a meal, he worries about a small but perceptible rise in Ukrainian and Russian speakers.

Maybe that is why the cafe is so important, and particularly those Friday nights — it offers a window into a more normal world.

"I am there all week so I set aside the treats," he said. "Last Friday, we had ice cream, we do have a popcorn machine, there's Coca-Cola, Lucozade, chocolate, Mars bars..."

And the movie. The idea for the screenings came from cafe users themselves via a questionnaire, and the films come from a variety of sources. Those watching come from anywhere and everywhere but a place they can call their own.

"When you are on the street, you just need something to look forward to," Mr Bobinac said.