The arts include disciplines that still depend strongly on human creativity, collaboration, and interpretation. Film, in particular, requires a human touch through writing, directing, performance, image-making, editing, and sound. It is both a creatively rewarding and dynamic discipline. If you are an aspiring filmmaker, you may be looking for a university or film school that helps develop your creative skills in an environment that supports them.
France has long been associated with art, culture, and cinema. Several schools in France offer filmmaking programs that combine practical training with creative and technical study. Here are some notable schools in France where you can pursue your filmmaking interests. From scripting to cinematography and production, these institutions offer programs for students interested in different parts of the filmmaking process.
Top Film Schools in France
1. Paris College of Art
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Bachelor’s | Medium of Instruction: English
Paris College of Art offers the Global Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film Art, a joint program with Emerson College. Paris College of Art is located in Paris, a city long associated with art, design, and cinema.
This BFA in Film Art program provides hands-on learning opportunities that combine media and film training with studio art. Students create experimental films and videos, gallery installations, web series, and public media art while also studying film, art history, media criticism, liberal arts, French language, and French culture.
As a program designed for globally minded students, it exposes students to an American academic framework while they study in multiple locations. Study destinations for the program span Paris, Boston, and the Netherlands.
2. ESRA International Film School
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s | Medium of Instruction: English
ESRA International Film School offers English-taught filmmaking programs for international students. Its current international offerings include a three-year Filmmaking Bachelor program in Paris and Cannes and a two-year MFA Filmmaking program in Paris, along with a one-year filmmaking option in New York City and four-week summer programs in Paris, Cannes, Brussels, and New York City.
The Bachelor program has a common core in the first two years and a third-year major in directing, cinematography, production, or editing and post-production. ESRA states that its degree programs are recognized by the French government at Bac+3 and Bac+5 levels.
Students learn through lectures, workshops, collaborative productions, and professional-style film work. ESRA also highlights a network of more than 15,000 alumni.
3. EICAR International Film and Television School of Paris
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Bachelor’s, Master’s | Medium of Instruction: English
EICAR International Film and Television School of Paris is a school for international students interested in filmmaking, audiovisual production, sound, and music. Founded in 1972, EICAR has offered undergraduate and graduate degrees in English through its International Department since 2000.
The school describes its approach as learning by doing, with programs that emphasize practical experience, workshops, film projects, collaborations with professionals, and internships for credit. EICAR currently lists 9,000 square meters of facilities in Paris and Lyon, 300 professional trainers, more than 500 productions per year, and 12,800 alumni.
The Bachelor’s and Master’s programs in Filmmaking are taught in English. The BFA is a three-year, 180-ECTS program, while the MFA is a two-year program in Paris. EICAR also offers a French Film Culture and Filmmaking summer workshop taught in English.
4. Ecole Nationale Supérieure Louis-Lumière
- Study Program
- Degree/s Offered: Master’s | Medium of Instruction: French
Aimed at pre-professionals who require training to enter the French film and audiovisual industries, the programs offered at École Nationale Supérieure Louis-Lumière are focused on the holistic filmmaking process. The school is a public higher education institution offering programs in cinema, photography, and sound, each leading to a master’s degree.
The Master Cinéma is taught in French, and candidates who do not hold a Francophone secondary diploma must provide DELF B2 or equivalent proof of French for the 2026 entrance exam. Admission is through a competitive entrance exam common to French and international candidates.
The program focuses strongly on image, lighting, and cinematography. Each student takes responsibility as director of photography, from preparation through distribution, on at least one full production. Workshops and productions involve active professionals such as cinematographers, directors, screenwriters, colorists, editors, VFX supervisors, costume designers, makeup artists, and production professionals.
5. 3iS Film and Cinema School Paris
3iS is a private creative-industries school with a Paris campus and English-taught programs in film and audiovisual studies. Founded nearly 40 years ago, 3iS describes itself as France’s largest creative-industries school, with campuses in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon, Nantes, and Avignon.
The school reports that more than 89% of its students find employment upon graduation and that its campuses bring together students from nearly 60 nationalities.
A BA in Film and TV and a Master in Filmmaking are offered in English at the Paris campus. The BA curriculum includes art history, media studies, cinematic language, sound recording, image and audio editing, sound design, film production, directing, TV journalism, scriptwriting, color grading, and communication and social media. The Master in Filmmaking focuses on screenwriting, directing, producing, and post-production.
FAQs: Film Studies in France
Is a Film Degree in France Worth Pursuing?
Whether you want to script, direct, produce, or edit films, filmmaking usually requires portfolio building, collaboration, networking, and resilience. A film degree in France can be worth pursuing if you want structured training, access to professional equipment, and exposure to French and European film culture.
France has a long history in cinema and remains home to both commercial and auteur traditions. For international students, studying film in France can provide exposure to practical production training, French film culture, and international creative networks. The value of a film degree will depend on the program, your portfolio, internships, language goals, and the professional network you build during your studies.
France remains a strong destination for film education, with schools offering English-taught options as well as French-taught public programs. As an international student, these are some of the film schools in the country that you should review if you are interested in the French film industry. These institutions can provide practical education and help students build pathways into French and international cinema.
We hope this article helped you identify some of the best film schools in France. If you’re interested in France, check out our Guide to Studying in France and Available Programs for International Students pages!
