Ferrania film

The History of Ferrania

Film Ferrania's history stretches back to 1917, when the company began as FILM, a subsidiary of the French firm SIPE/Pathe, based in the hamlet of Ferrania in Cairo Montenotte, Italy, before adopting the Ferrania name in 1923. Over the following decades, the company passed through the hands of 3M and Imation, and its film stock was used extensively in classic Italian cinema, including films by directors such as Fellini, Rossellini and Visconti. Photographic manufacturing at the site finally ceased in 2009.

The Ferrania story didn't end there. In 2013, Nicola Baldini and Marco Pagni re-founded the company, raising over $322,000 through a 2014 Kickstarter campaign to buy back equipment and restart production. In late 2024, the company was acquired by Jake Seal, owner of ORWO, who has re-hired former Ferrania and 3M chemists to rebuild manufacturing capability, continuing one of film photography's great comeback stories.

Ferrania's Camera Film Ranges

P30 Alpha is Ferrania's flagship product, a black and white panchromatic film rated at ISO 80, reviving a historic 1960s Ferrania cinema formula on a triacetate base with a distinctively high silver content. Orto is an orthochromatic black and white film rated at ISO 50, and P33 is a newer panchromatic black and white stock rated at ISO 160. A long-promised colour slide film has not yet reached commercial release, though the brand's new ownership has indicated production plans remain active.

Choosing the Right Ferrania Film

For classic, high-silver-content black and white with genuine cinema heritage, P30 Alpha is the film to try. Orto offers an unusual orthochromatic look for creative work, while P33 provides a faster, more flexible panchromatic option. Compare Ferrania film prices on Filmproof.