Crystal Palace International Film Festival, London UK

'A Sell-Out Film Festival!'

Animations are only £16 (Gold fee) to submit.

A BIFA qualifying festival, CPIFF is rated 4th in the world on FilmFreeway out of 14,000+ festivals and No.1 in the UK.
ALL OUR NIGHTS ARE FULL! No other festival can say that. See why celebrities & filmmakers say we're "the coolest" and screen higher quality films than anyone in this 3 minute video, a must watch:- https://vimeo.com/671142880 (copy & paste).

CPIFF is a feel good celebration of the truly incredible quality created every year by independent filmmakers like you and a big salute to the lengths gone to in producing your art. No-one presents this to the public like CPIFF. We put on a fabulous networking night for filmmakers with a free bar and an electric awards and comedy night featuring a top UK comedian.

EMI RECORDS sponsor the CPIFF Award for Best Music Video with president Rebecca Allen personally picking the winner. CPIFF is also a Grierson (aka British) Documentary Awards qualifying festival.

We are one of the most inclusive festivals as since the start in 2009 we have ensured every single screening has films starring and made by numerous ethnic groups. We include as many LGBTQIA+ films as possible. Submit Now.

Writer of The Simpsons since it began, Mike Reiss, even back in 2015 when we had no cinemas to screen in, said: “YOU RUN THE VERY BEST FILM FESTIVAL WE'VE EVER BEEN TO - AND WE'VE BEEN TO A LOT! It's a very casual setting but there’s nothing casual about how it’s put together and how high the quality of the films are. They filled the house, there’s food and drink everywhere, it’s been A LOT of fun every night – really top notch.”

Andrew McGee, producer/director said in 2025: "It's rare for festival screenings to sell out (and there's nothing more dispiriting than watching your film in a near-empty cinema), but it's such an achievement that all screenings were full, and not just by filmmakers and their friends - CPIFF actually attracts big numbers of the general public, which is amazing."

Phil Dunn, writer/director wrote: “OUTSTANDING festival. This is how you do it. Other festivals take note. Tons of sold out nights, amazing selection of high calibre films and beautiful screenings at gorgeous Everyman Cinemas. Topped off by amazing awards event with food, drinks, desserts, stand-up comedy and hilarious comedy shorts - like really LOL funny!

JOHNNY VEGAS, one of the biggest names in UK comedy presented the CPIFF Awards 2020 and 2021, said about CPIFF: "Frankly, I've been totally overwhelmed, it's phenomenal. It's amazing what's going on under the nose of the industry!"

Music legend PAUL WELLER (The Jam, The Style Council) said about CPIFF: "It's my only film festival & I've loved it, it's inspiring and we need it, the whole independent movement is a wonderful thing."

Cat White, writer/producer/director: “I’m absolutely blown away with what you’ve done! Firstly, a full house - congratulations. I’ve been speaking to everyone here - the films are INCREDIBLE. I honestly think it’s the most incredible curation of films I’ve ever seen and I’ve done a lot of these festivals!”

Established in 2009, Crystal Palace International Film Festival (CPIFF) screens only the very best of the Independent films it receives. We vigilantly curate every night offering one after another of pure quality, an eclectic mix in fabulous venues with crafted Q&As, making a social evening to remember. This is why most screenings sell out well in advance. Filmmakers want an audience and the public want to be entertained - we provide both.

We do NOT require a premiere as we support the filmmaker - it is about YOU! Festivals demanding a premiere massage their own ego putting festival against festival whilst lowering the number of festival selections and awards a film can attain. When selected by CPIFF your film has a stamp of quality and will be seen by a sizable audience. We are also the only festival to have 4 x 1 hour programmes screened on LONDON LIVE TV channel (permission always sought) because, again, the quality we send is so much higher than others who put films forward.

Submit your film for a chance of winning a coveted CPIFF Award at the incredible awards & comedy night always hosted by a top comedian, it will delight you. With themed evenings CPIFF is importantly inspiring the public to really appreciate independent film.

A TIP: TRY AND KEEP SHORT FILM CREDITS AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE! Preferably under 1 minute. 10 films with 2 mins each adds 20 minutes of just credits to one night's screening! This is just an important tip, it has no bearing on film selection.