Film forwarding mechanism comprising a reciprocally slidable plate carrying pawl to engage and forward film. The plate is normally held at a first position, is released subsequent to camera shutter action, moved to and held at an intermediate position until released therefrom by action of a rotary drive mechanism, moved to a second position, then moved by the drive mechanism from the second position to the first position, the pawl forwarding film during plate movement from the second to the first position.