Ranked No. 1 among private schools in the
, according to the 2026 Le Figaro Étudiant rankings
+15.000 alumni
in the industry
degree
state-approved
+55 International awards
, César, Oscar, Grammy
Ranked No. 1 among private schools in the
, according to the 2026 Le Figaro Étudiant rankings
+15 000 alumni
in the industry
degree
state-approved
+55 International awards
, César, Oscar, Grammy
Program Presentation
ESRA Filmmaking Bachelor's program offers comprehensive instruction, both theoretical and practical, enabling students to acquire the fundamental skills required for careers in film and audiovisual production.
Each student benefits from over 700 hours of instruction per year, including theoretical courses, practical workshops, and supervised productions.
The ESRA Filmmaking program delivers a state-recognized Bachelor's degree (Bac+3).
This degree has been recognized by the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research since 2001.
In the 3rd year, you will specialize
The first two years consist of a common core curriculum before specializing in the third year among the following six options:
You can choose from 6 specializations:
Join us!
Directing for Film
Dedicated to writing and directing an advertisement and a fiction film
Series production
Dedicated to writing and directing a short series and a long series pilot
Directing for TV
Dedicated to all broadcast professions: reporting, magazine, Twitch, live duplex, television studio, recordings.
Cinematography
Dedicated to mastering all cameras on the market, lighting, and framing.
Production
Dedicated to mastering the organization of a shoot, from its management to final delivery.
Assembly
Dedicated to mastering image editing, color grading, and VFX for audiovisual productions.
You will produce two productions screened before a jury.
Each year, students produce a minimum of two projects, each stage of which is supervised by a professional (writing, shooting, post-production, and screening before a jury).
With increasing difficulty, these productions culminate in the third year with shoots under professional conditions.
By the end of the program
You will be able to:
Designing, producing and shooting a film from A to Z
Produce documentaries, TV programs or dramas
Manage project post-production, distribution and promotion
Working in film, television, the web...
Why choose
ESRA film school?
Le Figaro Étudiant ranked ESRA as the top private school in 2026 for the second consecutive year in an independent ranking, reflecting our graduates’ strong employment rate, their recognition within the industry, and the quality of our facilities and faculty.
Exceptional insertion rate
85% of graduates employed one year after graduation
Student film
purchased
by TF1!
A campus combining
all audiovisual professions Film, Sound and Animation
business events
for students all year round!
Request a brochure
ESRA Cinema 🇫🇷
Discover the school in detail: the program, the campuses, the facilities and the careers of those who have chosen it.
Further study
Bac+5 Level Training for Specialization
Bac+5 Level Training for Specialization
Program taught entirely in English
4th year in New York
What Happens After ESRA?
Our alumni collaborate with companies such as Gaumont, Pathé, Canal+, Netflix, TF1, FTV, RMC, BFM, WEBEDIA, TRANSPAMEDIA, as well as independent studios and productions.
Join the 25% of our students who receive scholarships.
Studying at ESRA means accessing an outstanding education in the fields of filmmaking, sound, and 3D animation. And it's also possible without financial obstacles.
ESRA offers scholarships and payment plans in partnership with the school and affiliated banks.
Contact us to learn more about financial aid.
Choose your campus for esra cinema training
6 campuses: Paris, Nice, Cannes, Rennes, Brussels, and New York, covering all areas of the film industry
Alumni testimonials
The school allowed me to familiarize myself with professional equipment that is difficult to access outside of a specialized environment. I benefited from both theoretical and practical instruction, supervised by professors and speakers from the industry, in conditions close to the professional world. This training also offered me the opportunity to explore different audiovisual professions, which helped me refine my career choices.
Nathan Hourbeigt
ESRA 2024 – TV Directing
★★★★★
Three years rich in human and professional experience. I had the chance to work with wonderful people and to be well supported. We experienced a real group adventure, with intense projects. Thank you to ESRA and to all those who crossed my path.
Emilien Le Labourier
ESRA 2024 – Image
★★★★★
Thank you to this incredible graduating class, to Jennifer, to Mr. Bonnot, and to the teachers for their support. We grew together throughout this adventure. I am proud of what we have accomplished. I hope we will meet again in the future, united by our shared passion.
Léa Hue
ESRA 2024 – Film Directing
★★★★★
These years at ISTS have been an exciting immersion. We collaborated, learned, and shared powerful moments. Thank you to everyone I worked with. I found more than just classmates; I found true friends. I am proud of this collective journey.
Mathias Baillou
ISTS Rennes – Cinema
★★★★★
Thanks to you, I have grown. I understood who I am. Understood what I wanted to be. All of this allowed me to write my film, "Cette Nuit à Offeu," which would be nothing today without the prodigious advice of some, and the immense will that you all demonstrated during its selection.
François Gaudière
Master Screenwriting/Directing
★★★★★
One of my fondest memories of ESRA is the equipment available and the fact that I was able to do live TV, which gave me the impression of working for an international channel. It was an experience that taught me how to manage my career as a live TV producer, and how to manage a team of 80 people.
Maxence Carion
ESRA TV – Director
★★★★★
ESRA is, above all, about encounters, people who lent me a hand and helped me carry LED panels! It's quite curious to think that chance encounters shape a destiny, especially when you have a taste for cinema and doing things well. I found my path thanks to ESRA.
Romain Guimmara
ESRA 2021 – Image Option
★★★★★
With great emotion, I remember myself in the first year at ESRA, working on my first projects and meeting such talented people. The student union also contributed so much to us. Thank you to the entire teaching team who always supported my professional project and to all the people who pushed me to be better.
Laurie Cauffet
ESRA 2021 – TV Directing
★★★★★
Student films
JERKY FLOW
WINTER ALLEGRO
Resilience
The Last Curse
Phillie's Dinner
And After
FRD
jobs and career opportunities
85% of ESRA Cinéma graduates are employed in the audiovisual industry one year after graduation. Here are just a few examples of the jobs available:
Director of Photography
Production
Do you have any questions?
Is the ESRA degree recognized by the State?
Yes, all the initial Programs offered by ESRA are recognized by the French Ministry of Education and Research at Bachelor (Bac+3) level for ESRA Filmmaking, ESRA Sound and ESRA Animation, and at Postgraduate (Bac+5) level for the MFA Filmmaking ,DHEC Screenwriting & Directing and DHEC Production. This diploma is equivalent to a bachelor's degree.
How do I join ESRA?
You must submit an application on the platform esra.edu/je-candidatefill in the required information, choose your exam date and take the tests. Admissions committees meet every month. If you are accepted, you can pre-register as early as November.
How much does ESRA cost?
Prices for each course are given in the brochures. ESRA grants over 100,000 euros in scholarships and welcomes over 25% of scholarship holders each year. Students are also eligible for CROUS grants, as the degree is recognized by the French government, and for housing subsidies.
What equipment is available at ESRA?
Each ESRA campus has post-production and multi-station rooms equipped with powerful computers and the latest software, whether for film, sound or animation. In addition, each campus has an equipment room containing a range of cameras, from HD Nikon and Canon to Sony FS7 and F55, and each school has an ARRI ALEXA 35 camera and numerous camera accessories, monitors and so on. They also have a wide range of microphones, recorders, plug-ins and laptops available to students all year round. This is one of the school's strong points.
Who are ESRA's alumni?
Over 15,000 audiovisual professionals have graduated from ESRA since its creation in 1972. Check out our alumni page to discover some of our most memorable achievements, including 47 César nominations, an Oscar win, two Grammy Awards, selections at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival, song production for Daft Punk, Beyonce, A$AP Rocky, Kendrick Lamar, Big Flo et Oli and Orelsan, VFX and animation on some of the world's biggest films, and many other professional and public accolades.