Abstract: A darkroom contains a first film unwinding unit which receives reels with convoluted undeveloped customer films from a device serving to remove reels from their cassettes. Each film which is being unwound from its reel is normally advanced in a first channel to a splicer which connects its leader to the trailing end of the preceding film to form a long web which is collected into a large roll prior to transfer into a developing machine. A second unwinding unit in the darkroom can receive reels with damaged films from the first unit or from another source of undeveloped films and has a receptacle for reels. A second channel extends from an outlet of the receptacle to a portion of the first channel ahead of the splicer. The two units can be reached by hands which must extend through contractible openings of two cuffs and thereupon through a contractible opening between several curtains of the darkroom.