Index: django/newforms/fields.py
===================================================================
--- django/newforms/fields.py	(revision 7007)
+++ django/newforms/fields.py	(working copy)
@@ -433,6 +433,7 @@
         'missing': _(u"No file was submitted."),
         'empty': _(u"The submitted file is empty."),
     }
+    _initial = None
 
     def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         super(FileField, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -451,6 +452,15 @@
             raise ValidationError(self.error_messages['empty'])
         return f
 
+    def _get_initial(self):
+        return self._initial
+
+    def _set_initial(self, initial):
+        self.required = False
+        self._initial = initial
+
+    initial = property(_get_initial, _set_initial)
+
 class ImageField(FileField):
     default_error_messages = {
         'invalid_image': _(u"Upload a valid image. The file you uploaded was either not an image or a corrupted image."),