YouTube

Rise of Polaroid in China - Shooting 20x24, meeting Polaroid Shanghai

2026-01-13 · 14:00 UTC ·In An Instant ·1 min read

Brief

Rise of Polaroid in China — Shooting 20x24, meeting Polaroid Shanghai is a short documentary feature (In An Instant: Inside China) that tours a functioning Polaroid 20x24 system in Shanghai, visits the new Polaroid China office, and interviews the pioneer who first brought Polaroid to China during the 1980s–1990s reform period.

Why it matters

Features a real Polaroid 20x24 large-format camera at 20x24 Studio Shanghai (credited @林蔚健), showcasing large-scale instant photography in Shanghai.

Key details

  • Visits the new Polaroid China office and profiles a pioneer who introduced Polaroid to China during the reform and opening up era (1980s–1990s), contextualizing the brand’s resurgence.
  • Episode produced/written/directed/edited by Ben Fraternale with cinematography by Henry Thong and translation support from Rengu Zhang; published on YouTube 2026-01-13.
Source evidence

On the second installment of In An Instant: Inside China, we explore the country's sudden obsession with Polaroid. We meet China's largest camera, a real-deal Polaroid 20x24 system in Shanghai, we break bread with the new Polaroid China office, and are introduced to a trailblazer who led Polaroid's first arrival in China during the country's reform and opening up period in the 80s and 90s.

Credits:
Writer/director/editor - Ben Fraternale
Cinematographer - Henry Thong (@henrythong)
Translation Support - Rengu Zhang
Production Support - Jesse & Sonja Lin
20x24 Studio Shanghai - @林蔚健

You can follow me on IG at instagram.com/the.instantgram and find us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/inaninstantchannel

And, above all else, please for the love of gosh demolish that subscribe button. Grazie!

Channel: In An Instant
Published: 2026-01-13
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBGCB4Fni14