In Memory of Dr Isabelle McNeill

Chair and Co-founder of the Cambridge Film Trust

It is with profound sadness that the Cambridge Film Trust marks the passing from cancer of our Chair and dear friend Dr Isabelle McNeill.

Isabelle was not only a guiding force in establishing the Trust and making the Cambridge Film Festival what it is today; she was its beating heart. Her unwavering love for cinema, combined with her academic brilliance and deep sense of cultural responsibility, made her an irreplaceable figure in our organisation.

As Chair of the Cambridge Film Trust, Isabelle’s leadership over the past several years has been invaluable. She navigated the Trust through periods of growth and challenge with calm conviction, integrity, and care, always championing our mission to bring bold, diverse, and brilliant films to Cambridge audiences.

Simon Jones, fellow Trustee of the Cambridge Film Trust, said:

"Isabelle's guidance of the Trust has been invaluable, but it was her passion for cinema that will be her abiding legacy. We will all miss Isabelle greatly. Her spirit will continue to guide the Cambridge Film Trust as we honour her memory through our ongoing commitment to the art of cinema."

Since co-founding the Trust in the mid-2000s, Isabelle played a central role in shaping the Festival's development. Her warmth, insight, and generosity touched every member of our extended community, from fellow trustees and Festival staff to filmmakers, audiences, and volunteers.

To celebrate Isabelle’s lasting impact, the Cambridge Film Trust will institute a new award in her honour. It will be presented for the first time at this year’s Cambridge Film Festival and will reflect the values she brought to all she did: curiosity, care, and an enduring belief in the power of film to connect and inspire.

We offer our heartfelt condolences to Isabelle’s family, colleagues and all who knew her. She will be sorely missed by her fellow trustees, the Festival team and the wider Cambridge Film Festival family.

Isabelle's vision and voice helped to shape our present. Her legacy will shape our future.