"Shot on Film": Why 2025 Brought Celluloid Back
In the age of digital and AI, prominent directors are returning to film — and this is no retro whim, but a deliberate creative choice.
The list of 2025 films shot on celluloid is impressive: Ryan Coogler's Sinners, Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another, Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, projects by the Safdie Brothers and Yorgos Lanthimos. Celluloid has returned to mainstream cinema.
The Industry Responds
Demand is backed by numbers: Kodak's motion picture film sales have grown, and manufacturers like Harman (Ilford) have invested millions in new equipment for film production. A market once considered dying is alive again.
Why Directors Choose Film
It's not just about the film look with its organic grain. Film imposes discipline: limited resources force filmmakers to prepare more carefully for every take. Where digital encourages endless shooting, film restores the value of each frame.
