Interesting; "manufactured in the UK" would seem to imply Ilford, who as we know don't supply their stuff for rebranding. Have they changed their policy, or is it perhaps coated to order with a different emulsion, or...?
Availability in MF and sheets suggests that it isn't the same as the Kentmere films, which was my first thought.
San Diego, CA, USA
The lady of the house has to be a pretty swell sort of person to put up with the annoyance of a photographer.
-The Little Technical Library, _Developing, Printing, And Enlarging_
Here is hoping the price point is indeed a value. I've had a lot of luck in the past using the re-branded Freestyle films. Back in the day I used their "Arista II" film quite a lot and I continue to use the Arista.Edu film to this day.
How the participating members in the manufacturing and supply chain can make this happen isn't the issue. That they CAN make it happen at all is what's important.
One of my biggest fears in this shrinking market was for the loss of the "value" film and paper users. You know, the student or fixed-income retiree who loves the medium but literally doesn't have the means to match the inevitable price increases that go with that shrinking market. Losing those users would be/is catastrophic.
Hopefully this type of offering can help to preserve that valuable chunk of market share, and the overall additional demand it creates.
This is really good news.
"They are the proof that something was there and no longer is. Like a stain. And the stillness of them is boggling. You can turn away but when you come back they’ll still be there looking at you."
— Diane Arbus, March 15, 1971, in response to a request for a brief statement about photographs
I remember ove 10 years ago that Freestyle sold film and paper from the UK and from my tests on Arista film and paper, it was Ilford fp4 film and Ilford MG RC paper. I miss the "cold stored" expired film.
"Photography, like surfing, is an infinite process, a constantly evolving exploration of life."