Neill Roy CPIFF Founder

Neill (left with comedians Seann Walsh, Shappi Khorsandi and Mark Steel)) founded CPIFF in 2009, screening the 1st set of films in 2010 in bars and pubs around Crystal Palace. In 2011, as well as already moving to bigger venues like churches and halls, we had our 1st comment on camera about the quality of film we curate: “I’ve never been in a single screening and seen so many strong films and I’ve been in a lot of screenings!” We have heard very similar comments every festival since as you can see on all our videos over the years along with the words “cool” and “it sold out!” No other festival delivers what CPIFF does but why?

Neill Roy: “I still haven’t been to another film festival, I simply wanted to make mine the very best it could be in every respect and this started with choosing ONLY amazing films. If I heard any negative feedback I’d make changes to improve things, such as changing the order of films, mixing up genres and the sequence of the mood of films. We didn’t have any cinemas in the area until 2019 when we got 2 stunning ones in one year. It makes a huge difference being in actual quality cinemas. We are told every year that most festivals just have a few filmmakers there with very little public so they are blown away when most CPIFF nights are sold out in a 158 and a 225 seat screen! I personally watch every film, so Q&As are always entertaining and on point – I’ve presented every single screening night for 16 years. To be rated no.1 in the UK and 4th in the world by filmmakers is very rewarding.”

I was brought up in St. Helens in the north west. I still consider it a very aggressive and negative place. I did not want to leave Manchester where I went to Polytechnic (remember those?) but my brother and I were loaned money from the bank of mum and dad on the condition they could oversee our business in St. Helens. We started a video production company along with 2 video rental shops which lasted 14 years. Our first video production was for FDI who made the world’s first flexible traffic bollard. We had elephants standing on it in Chester zoo, Raleigh cars driving over it and me as a vandal bashing it. We charged £1,500. They made millions!! That’s me outside my shop with a cut out Dolph Lundgren and me in Beverley Hills with a young Liz Hurley…long story…

However, I was unhappy with very low self esteem. I decided I had to prove myself by playing professional rugby league. I was 25 and had played rugby union with one premiership game under my belt for Sale vs Bath when I was 18. I went to Warrington Wolves to ask for a trial and after a few games they offered me a contract. I wasn’t happy with the terms so we agreed a verbal contract for the time being. There was no sports psychology around at the time and I simply did not believe in myself despite scoring the tries you see in the video to the left and playing alongside the very best players (Jonathan Davies, Paul Sculthorpe, Iestyn Harris, Mike Gregory – all captains of their country). I played some Super League games but should have done a lot more. I’ve since read tonnes of psychology books and now understand the mind processes involved. This knowledge came in handy for the next phases of my varied life.

I’ve always been very musical and believe it or not I left rugby league after starting my own rock band. More to the truth Warrington didn’t like the fact I was also in a band and dropped me so, spitting my dummy out, I left. Very silly, I was at my fittest and best, doh! It went the way band’s go and having not yet removed the monkey from my back, I moved to London in 2003 to have a go at acting. I actually had a great 1st 2 years but when I had a dry spell, I decided I preferred being behind the camera. In 2009, along with CPIFF, I launched Harlequin Productions UK Ltd and I’ve had a great run producing TV Commercials and high-end video – showreel to the left. I brought the psychology I’d learned into play after I got down from 17 companies to the last 2 but didn’t get a big TV ad campaign. I realised I was worrying about the wrong things and trained my brain to focus only on the fact that I make brilliant TV Ads. The next pitch was a biggy, I faced 6 executives alone and nailed it. Lesson learned… I now use CBT psychology every day.