The Last Roll Captures the Emotional End of Slide Film Processing

by Kevin Lee on 09/29/2014

Film dying away does not just mark the end of an era or a natural progression into the digital world. More importantly it affects people from their livelihoods to their relationships. Hero Av has shot a new short documentary that captures the emotional impact behind the closure of one Orms’ E6 process unit, one of the most well-known and last bastions for slide film development.
Located in Cape Town, it was a processing plant that many South African photographers visited to develop their film. Shooting slide film itself is a difficult challenge and so its closure earlier was heartbreaking for photographers whose entire livelihood revolves around shooting on the analog format.
“It was really like getting cold water over myself, because this was actually my last place to process,” landscape photographer Koos Van Der Lende said. “I really have to just sit down and really rethink my life as a photographer on film.”
Andre Eksteen, an Orms technician at the E6 processing unit also added, “There was a lot of trust that had to be put between the lab and the photographer, as such, and that is a moment that we are saying goodbye to. Nevermind just the process itself.”
The short six-minute documentary is a tiny glimpse at the human story behind the end of slide film processing. It’s a story that will pull at your heartstrings, so be sure to check it out after the jump.
Via Picture Correct

The Last Roll from Hero AV on Vimeo.

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