A method of preparing a plasticised particulate polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composition is provided, comprising: mixing, in a mixer, at a mixer speed and for a time sufficient that the mixture attains a temperature of at least 50.degree. C.: particulate PVA resin in an amount from 80% to 90% by weight of the mixture; and plasticiser in an amount from 10% to 20% by weight of the mixture, wherein at least a portion of the plasticiser is water; monitoring the apparent viscosity of the mixture during mixing and continuing mixing until the apparent viscosity of the mixture has peaked to a maximum and dropped off to a substantially constant level, thereby to obtain a plasticised particulate mixture having a moisture content in the range from 7% to 14%; preferably adding an anti-caking agent in an amount from 0.05% to 0.5% by weight of the plasticised particulate mixture, and continuing mixing until the anti-caking agent is blended to the plasticised particulate mixture; and stopping mixing, and removing the mixture from the mixer, wherein the mixture temperature is kept below 100.degree. C. at all times during mixing. The properties of the plasticised particulate composition are such that it can be processed, by extrusion and blowing, to a film having advantageous characteristics in terms of structure and properties. Accordingly, also provided is a PVA film characterised in that, when viewed using polarising light microscopy, it has a nonuniform texture consisting of distinct short range areas, e.g. 10 to 500 micrometers, each short range area showing anisotropic orientation within its area, each short range area being oriented isotropically.