In a sea of advancements in cameras, film photography has resurfaced in popularity thanks to Gen Z.

By Rachel Cheng

We’ve all seen film photos on Instagram. The warm, grainy photos always seem to promise a dreamy, carefree, and far away moment somewhere between nostalgic memories and romantic imaginations.

According to a recent article from the Globe and Mail, it is clear that film cameras are back with the new generation, after being on the brink of extinction about a decade ago. But with all of the new advancements in phone cameras that make high resolution photos so accessible, why is Gen Z opting for older technology?

“In film, the limited amount of shots allow you to not care too much about whether the photo was good or not, but whether the moment you caught was of value.” says Anthony Ung, a student at Western Ivey, with years of experience in professional photography. “There’s less of a concern about exact composition, and minute details. You’re able to take a step back and just appreciate the moment.”

Ung started taking photos after the pandemic restrictions started to lift in 2021. He says that the motivation for using film cameras was from nostalgia – not from the experience of using the equipment – but rather a wish for a simpler time.

“I think in the context of post-COVID-19, the definition of nostalgia is not necessarily defined as something that you actively lived, rather it is a yearning of normalcy,” says Ung. “I think COVID-19 just allowed people to feel a lot more sentimental towards a past, not necessarily their past. I think that cultural shift is what kind of drives the explosion of analogue.”

Kendra Kelly Peterkin, film student at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), says that the medium just feels more authentic.

“It just feels a lot more real. It takes a lot more effort,” says Peterkin. “With digital cameras nowadays, you have everything at your fingertips. With film you have to do everything yourself, so there's a lot more effort and energy going into it. It makes it more authentic.”

Shots from Peterkin’s short film (Courtesy of Kendra Kelly Peterkin)

And a lot of the appeal also lies in the wait.

“There is freedom in just taking photos and being like, okay I’ll just take it and I’ll see it in a few weeks,” says Ung.

Flexibility and creativity are also learned through the wait, since the photographer is never exactly clear on what their shots look like.

“When you [use] film you can’t see it right away, but when you get it developed and see that everything worked out fine – or it didn’t work out how you expected but it still looks good – I think that’s the most gratifying thing about film,” says Peterkin.

But Gen Z isn’t just copying old trends, they also have a lot to add to the old medium.

Peterkin says that they bring a lot of diversity into their films, and allow people in this generation to see themselves represented in a medium that used to be limited to certain races and classes.

Photo of Ung’s friend stopping at a gas station before prom (Courtesy of Anthony Ung)

“A lot of my motivation, and why I started in the first place is because I wanted to bring inclusivity and diversity,” says Peterkin. “Especially growing up, I wouldn’t see people like me in film, and when I did it would be very stereotypical [...] I wanted to be able to create media that is more inclusive and accurate.”

Shireen Agharazi Dormani, film student at TMU, also mentions that the motion picture cameras used to shoot movies on film are more accessible now to people of any class.

“Those existed like years ago, not just anyone can have them, they’re super expensive. But now we have better access,” says Dormani.

Through their art and passion, all young photographers, in a way, reclaim the old medium with oppressive beginnings, and shift its legacy into something more diverse and vibrant.

But at the end of the day, the most gratifying thing about art will always be the moments and feelings they represent.

“My favourite thing is taking photos of my friends,” says Ung. “My favourite thing I’ve done with film is just learn to appreciate moments. Passing moments. And learning to capture it in a way that is not invasive and doesn’t take away from the presentness required to go about life.”