ESRA is taking a major step forward in its international expansion. In partnership with Hebei University of Science and Technology (HEBUST), the school will launch the first Franco-Chinese audiovisual program officially recognized by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in the fall of 2026. This historic first is built on more than fifty years of expertise in film industry training.
A world first in international film education
Since its founding in 1972, ESRA has trained more than 15,000 audiovisual professionals, establishing itself as a leading film school in Europe. With 47 César Award nominations, one Oscar, and two Grammy Awards among its alumni, the school has built a reputation based on educational excellence and the quality of its facilities.
Building on this strong foundation, the ESRA Group is pleased to announce the creation of the HPFI—HEBUST Paris Film Institute of Audiovisual Technology—a Franco-Chinese institute located at the heart of Hebei University’s campus, just outside Beijing. This is the first foreign film program to receive official recognition from the Chinese Ministry of Education, granting it unprecedented academic legitimacy in the region.
Why China Has Become a Strategic Market for the Media Industry
A few years ago, the Chinese film industry became the world’s largest in terms of output, surpassing that of the United States. Yet, despite this considerable economic clout, local production remains largely focused on the domestic market: Chinese films are rarely exported due to a lack of narrative and cultural connections with the rest of the world.
This is precisely the goal of the HPFI. By training a new generation of Chinese students in the fundamentals of French cinema—narrative, direction, and art direction—the program aims to help foster a more universal form of audiovisual creation, one capable of resonating in Shanghai just as much as in Paris.
For ESRA faculty and students, this also presents a rare opportunity for cultural exchange, bringing them into contact with an industry whose global influence is only set to grow.
A transformative academic partnership with HEBUST
Hebei University of Science and Technology is one of China’s most prestigious institutions, ranked 255th out of nearly 4,000 universities, with more than 20,000 students. It boasts state-of-the-art facilities and significant resources for capital investment—ideal conditions for hosting a demanding program such as the ESRA program.
The creation of the HPFI within HEBUST also builds on the existing partnership between ESRA and the Beijing Film Academy (BFA), one of Asia’s most prestigious film schools. This new agreement formalizes and solidifies an already proven bilateral partnership, giving it a sustainable academic framework: a fully-fledged Franco-Chinese Institute with its own facilities, equipment, and teaching staff.
A program aligned with ESRA’s traditional academic tracks
Selected Chinese high school graduates will be able to pursue a four-year program in one of ESRA’s three flagship disciplines: Film, Sound, or Animation. For more than fifty years, these three disciplines have formed the educational foundation of the school, which is recognized by the French government and leads to degrees equivalent to a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
The program will be taught by faculty members from the ESRA Group, who will travel to Hebei each quarter to deliver in-person classes. This faculty mobility is central to the HPFI’s educational model: it ensures the direct transfer of French expertise within a Chinese academic setting, using the professional equipment that is the hallmark of ESRA—ARRI, Dolby Atmos, Avid, and DaVinci Resolve.
A real opportunity for ESRA teachers and students
Beyond educational exchanges with China, the partnership opens up concrete opportunities for both sides. ESRA faculty members will be able to participate in Programs conduct research at the Beijing Film Academy. Student exchanges are also planned, as well as the development of joint research projects between the two institutions.
For a student in an international audiovisual program, the opportunity to interact with Chinese peers—within a structured academic setting—is a rare experience that is both cultural and professional. The audiovisual industry knows no borders: future professionals in the field will need to be able to navigate multicultural environments. The HPFI prepares students for this from the very start of their training.
The ESRA Group's Vision
“The Chinese market will be indispensable in the future, and we are very pleased to launch, through the creation of this school, these programs in which French teachers will share their passion with Chinese students. The dialogue on storytelling and filmmaking will be fascinating, and I hope it will help bring forth films in the future that resonate with both French and Chinese audiences.”
Benjamin Azoulay, Vice President of the ESRA Group
This statement reflects a broader conviction: the future of film education lies in the international arena, and ESRA intends to play a leading role in it. Following Paris, Nice, Cannes, Rennes, Brussels, and New York, the school is now opening a new chapter in China—its most ambitious to date.
ESRA, a renowned film school making its mark on the global stage
degree , a member of the Erasmus+ program, and an authorized training center for ARRI, Dolby Atmos, Avid, and DaVinci Resolve: for over fifty years, ESRA has combined academic rigor with a strong professional focus. Its alumni are active in all sectors of the industry—production, directing, sound, animation, and post-production—and their works have been selected for the Cannes Film Festival, the Venice Film Festival, and the most prestigious international competitions.
The launch of the HPFI in partnership with HEBUST reinforces this trajectory. It establishes ESRA as a fully-fledged international film and television school, capable of building lasting bridges between cultures and industries—and of training the creators of tomorrow, wherever they may be in the world.
