It's seems like an eternity (or a brief instant, maybe) since Ryan first posted about the cessation of major manufacturers' development and production of motion picture film cameras, and not quite as long since Joe updated us on the all the more tenuous vitality of the only two companies actually making celluloid film, Kodak and Fuji. What's been announced before is now an all-but-undeniable reality for Fuji, who have just confirmed the company's plans to bring its production of motion picture film to a full, complete, and permanent dead halt. Read the full scoop below before the ink fully dries on this fairly somber confirmation.

Straight from Fuji:

Discontinuation of Motion Picture Film production
April 2, 2013
As previously announced, Fujifilm has stopped production of the majority of Motion Picture Film products by March, 2013.

We would like to thank you very much for your patronage during the long history of manufacture, sales and marketing of these products which will continue to be available until the inventory is exhausted. Please contact our worldwide distributors for availability information.

Fujifilm will continue to provide products and services designed for digital workflow of motion picture production and exhibition such as Recording film for Digital Separation [ETERNA-RDS] for long-term archiving, Imaging processing system [IS-100], and high-performance Fujinon lens for digital motion picture camera and projectors.
With an expertise in optics, image processing, storage and archiving, Fujifilm will continue to provide new and innovative products and services to contribute to the creative entertainment and broadcast industry.

Products in discontinuation of manufacturing

Color Positive Film
Color Negative Film
B&W Positive and Negative Film
Intermediate Film
Sound Recording Film
High Contrast Panchromatic Films
Chemicals (Japan only)

Not that this necessarily "spells the end" for Fuji or any other company with primary stakes in the business of physical film production -- the company, as detailed above, has plenty of expertise from which imagery acquisition technologies may continue to benefit moving forward (and of course, as mentioned, they will continue making archival film for storage). I don't think many of us could have foreseen the 'fall of film' that would come so very rapidly, but like it or not, here we are. We will also doubtlessly see some very interesting 'last breath' efforts to be made of what un-exposed film stocks remain, which will only progressively dwindle and become outright collector's items in the meantime -- just as we did from Steve McCurry in the last roll of Kodachrome (except in motion):

Link: Discontinuation of Motion Picture Film Production -- Fujifilm

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Cinematography & Cameras