diff --git a/libarchive/__init__.py b/libarchive/__init__.py
index 205d7ae..5bb0e1d 100644
--- a/libarchive/__init__.py
+++ b/libarchive/__init__.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def is_archive(f, formats=(None, ), filters=(None, )):
     This function will return True if the file can be opened as an archive using the given
     format(s)/filter(s).'''
     if isinstance(f, str):
-        f = file(f, 'r')
+        f = open(f, 'r')
     a = _libarchive.archive_read_new()
     for format in formats:
         format = get_func(format, FORMATS, 0)
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ class Archive(object):
         self.blocksize = blocksize
         if isinstance(f, str):
             self.filename = f
-            f = file(f, mode)
+            f = open(f, mode)
             # Only close it if we opened it...
             self._defer_close = True
         elif hasattr(f, 'fileno'):
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ class Archive(object):
             basedir = os.path.basename(f)
             if not os.path.exists(basedir):
                 os.makedirs(basedir)
-            f = file(f, 'w')
+            f = open(f, 'w')
         return _libarchive.archive_read_data_into_fd(self._a, f.fileno())
 
     def readstream(self, size):
@@ -550,7 +550,7 @@ class Archive(object):
         member = self.entry_class.from_file(f, encoding=self.encoding)
         if isinstance(f, str):
             if os.path.isfile(f):
-                f = file(f, 'r')
+                f = open(f, 'r')
         if pathname:
             member.pathname = pathname
         if folder and not member.isdir():
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ class SeekableArchive(Archive):
         # Convert file to open file. We need this to reopen the archive.
         mode = kwargs.setdefault('mode', 'r')
         if isinstance(f, str):
-            f = file(f, mode)
+            f = open(f, mode)
         super(SeekableArchive, self).__init__(f, **kwargs)
         self.entries = []
         self.eof = False
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 5439942..cb41d61 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ FILENAMES = [
 def make_temp_files():
     if not os.path.exists(ZIPPATH):
         for name in FILENAMES:
-            file(os.path.join(TMPDIR, name), 'w').write(''.join(random.sample(string.printable, 10)))
+            open(os.path.join(TMPDIR, name), 'w').write(''.join(random.sample(string.printable, 10)))
 
 
 def make_temp_archive():
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ class TestZipRead(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(is_zipfile(ZIPPATH), True)
 
     def test_iterate(self):
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
         count = 0
         for e in z:
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class TestZipRead(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_deferred_close_by_archive(self):
         """ Test archive deferred close without a stream. """
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
         self.assertIsNotNone(z._a)
         self.assertIsNone(z._stream)
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class TestZipRead(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_deferred_close_by_stream(self):
         """ Ensure archive closes self if stream is closed first. """
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
         stream = z.readstream(FILENAMES[0])
         stream.close()
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ class TestZipRead(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_close_stream_first(self):
         """ Ensure that archive stays open after being closed if a stream is
         open. Further, ensure closing the stream closes the archive. """
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
         stream = z.readstream(FILENAMES[0])
         z.close()
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ class TestZipRead(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIsNone(z._stream)
 
     def test_filenames(self):
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
         names = []
         for e in z:
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ class TestZipWrite(unittest.TestCase):
         make_temp_files()
 
     def test_writepath(self):
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'w')
         for fname in FILENAMES:
             z.writepath(file(os.path.join(TMPDIR, fname), 'r'))
@@ -174,14 +174,14 @@ class TestZipWrite(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_writepath_directory(self):
         """ Test writing a directory. """
 
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'w')
         z.writepath(None, pathname='/testdir', folder=True)
         z.writepath(None, pathname='/testdir/testinside', folder=True)
         z.close()
         f.close()
 
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='r')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'r')
 
         entries = z.infolist()
@@ -192,11 +192,11 @@ class TestZipWrite(unittest.TestCase):
         f.close()
 
     def test_writestream(self):
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'w')
         for fname in FILENAMES:
             full_path = os.path.join(TMPDIR, fname)
-            i = file(full_path)
+            i = open(full_path)
             o = z.writestream(fname)
             while True:
                 data = i.read(1)
@@ -208,11 +208,11 @@ class TestZipWrite(unittest.TestCase):
         z.close()
 
     def test_writestream_unbuffered(self):
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'w')
         for fname in FILENAMES:
             full_path = os.path.join(TMPDIR, fname)
-            i = file(full_path)
+            i = open(full_path)
             o = z.writestream(fname, os.path.getsize(full_path))
             while True:
                 data = i.read(1)
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ class TestZipWrite(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_deferred_close_by_archive(self):
         """ Test archive deferred close without a stream. """
-        f = file(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
+        f = open(ZIPPATH, mode='w')
         z = ZipFile(f, 'w')
         o = z.writestream(FILENAMES[0])
         z.close()