This invention discloses a reticulated film composite and a method of fabricating a reticulated film composite suitable as a 3 dimensional porous and conductive matrix which contains up to 80% porosity and exhibits high recovery after compression. The reticulated film composite is produced by casting and drying of a slurry which exhibits a high yield stress (i.e. greater than 50 dyne/cm2) and comprised of a high MW resin dissolved in a solvent (i.e. having solution viscosity of higher than 100 cp at 5% in NMP at room temperature) and dispersed nanoparticles of carbon of high specific surface areas (i.e. greater than 1 m2/g preferably greater than 10 m2/g), examples include but not limited to conductive carbon, carbon nanotubes, graphene, activated carbon or mixture thereof. This reticulated film composite exhibits high electrical conductivity (i.e. volume resistivity of less than 10,000 Ω·cm) and superior dimensional stability even at elevated temperatures (i.e. at 140° C.). It will exhibit a recovery of height or porosity after being compressed to over 50% of its height. The composite of this invention is suitable as an electrically conductive composite, as a gas diffusion layer in a fuel cell, or as a high efficiency electrode in super capacitors