ESAV Marrakech

What ESAV Marrakech does

ESAV Marrakech (École Supérieure des Arts Visuels de Marrakech) is a non-profit higher education institution founded in 2006 and inaugurated in 2007 by Swiss designer Susanna Biedermann, her husband Max Alioth, HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, and filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Operating from a 9,000 m² campus in the Amerchich district of Marrakech, Morocco, the school is accredited by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education and is positioned as the first visual arts school in Africa, with CILECT (International Association of Film, Audiovisual and Media Schools) membership. The institution has produced approximately 650 graduates over 20 years.

The school delivers two BAC+3 initial training tracks: Cinéma & Audiovisuel (with specializations in Image, Son, Montage & Post-Production, Scénario, and Réalisation) and Design Graphique & Numérique (with specializations in Motion Design and Illustration Animation). It also runs an Executive Master in Film Production (10-month program, 32,000 MAD) in partnership with Canal+ and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, plus short-format creative workshops. Tuition for initial training ranges from 47,000 to 52,000 MAD depending on specialization. The technology stack centers on Adobe Creative Suite, professional shooting and recording studios, editing suites, a 360° virtual tour, and an analog photo laboratory, supporting a craft-focused, studio-based pedagogy.

The business model is primarily a multi-year subscription tuition model paid by individual students, distributed across a small annual cohort. Recruitment is direct-to-consumer via the school website, social media (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn), open days, and integration events like Merhba Week. ESAV operates within the broader Fondation Susanna Biedermann ecosystem, which includes Dar Bellarj cultural foundation. Student work has gained international visibility through awards at festivals in Morocco, France, Belgium, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Jordan, with one student film selected for broadcast on France 3 Corse.

Name

ESAV Marrakech

Legal name

École Supérieure des Arts Visuels de Marrakech

Website

https://esavmarrakech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ESAV Marrakech is a non-profit higher education institution in Marrakech, Morocco, founded in 2006, offering BAC+3 degree programs in cinema/audiovisual and graphic design, plus an Executive Master in Film Production, serving high school graduates and working audiovisual professionals across Francophone Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marrakech

HQ country

Morocco

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees - Initial Training: Annual tuition fees charged to students for BAC+3 degree programs in Cinema & Audiovisual and Graphic Design. Fees range from 47,000 to 52,000 MAD depending on the specialization.
2. Executive Master in Film Production: 10-month professional training program for graduates in audiovisual, priced at 32,000 MAD, targeting professionals seeking to deepen production skills.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ESAV Marrakech is a non-profit higher education institution offering BAC+3 initial training programs in Cinema & Audiovisual (with specializations in Image, Sound, Editing & Post-Production, Screenwriting, and Directing) and Graphic Design & Digital Communication (with specializations in Illustration Animation and Motion Design). The school also offers an Executive Master in Film Production, a 10-month continuing education program for audiovisual professionals, plus creative workshops in cinema and audiovisual techniques.

Product overview

ESAV Marrakech is a non-profit higher education institution offering a portfolio of visual arts programs. Its core offerings include two BAC+3 initial formation tracks: Cinéma & Audiovisuel and Design Graphique & Numérique. Within Cinéma, students can specialize in Image, Son, Montage & Post-Production, Scénario, or Réalisation. Within Design, specializations include Illustration Animation and Motion Design. The institution also offers an Executive Master in Production Cinématographique (10-month continuous formation program) and various creative workshops including Théâtre Power Skills and Sonorisation Concert. Programs are accredited by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education and the school has partnerships with Canal+ and the Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fondation Susanna Biedermann: A foundation established by Susanna Biedermann and Max Alioth to support emerging talents in cinema and visual communication, and to promote Moroccan heritage.

Products and services

• Cinéma & Audiovisuel (BAC+3 Initial Training) A BAC+3 initial training program in cinema and audiovisual arts, with specializations in Image, Sound, Editing & Post-Production, Screenwriting, and Directing. Designed for baccalaureate holders seeking professional training in cinema and audiovisual careers, with tuition ranging from 47,000 to 52,000 MAD per year. Programs are accredited by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education.
• Design Graphique & Numérique (BAC+3 Initial Training) A BAC+3 initial training program in graphic design and visual communication, with specializations in Illustration Animation and Motion Design. Targets high school graduates pursuing careers in graphic design, motion graphics, and digital visual communication. Tuition is 47,000 MAD total for the specialization programs. Programs are accredited by the Moroccan Ministry of Higher Education.
• Executive Master Production Cinématographique A 10-month executive master program in film production covering project financing, international co-production, and legal frameworks. Delivered in partnership with Canal+ and OIF, the program targets audiovisual professionals with at least 2 years of production experience. Features monthly 3-day sessions in Marrakech and costs 32,000 MAD total.
• Ateliers Créatifs Cinéma & Audiovisuel Short-format creative workshops covering camera work (prise de vue), sound recording (prise de son), and video editing (montage). Designed for prospective students and the broader public to experience ESAV's teaching methods. Places are limited and require reservation.
• Atelier Théâtre Power Skills Theater workshop for first-year cinema students exploring body, voice, improvisation, and acting skills. Part of the practical curriculum at ESAV Marrakech.
• Atelier Sonorisation Concert Live concert sound engineering workshop for L3 Sound students, providing hands-on experience with musicians and singers in live sound reinforcement.

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Canal+coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 2025Partnership with Canal+ for the Executive Master in Film Production program. Canal+ contributes to professional training by participating in the delivery of attestations and providing industry expertise and networking opportunities for participants in the program.
• Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie (OIF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 December 2025Partnership with OIF for the Executive Master in Film Production, supporting Francophone professionals in developing production skills. OIF contributes to the international reach and accessibility of the program for Francophone African professionals.
• Susanna Biedermann Foundation (FSB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation founded by Susanna Biedermann and Max Alioth supports ESAV's mission to develop emerging talents in cinema and visual communication. The foundation also oversees Dar Bellarj, a cultural venue that serves as an extension of ESAV's cultural mission.
• Dar BellarjminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural foundation dedicated to living culture in Morocco, used by ESAV for student integration events (Merhba Week dinners) and cultural activities. Part of the ecosystem created by Susanna Biedermann and Max Alioth.
• Martin ScorsesecoreOthersInternationally renowned filmmaker who serves as patron of ESAV Marrakech, having inaugurated the school in 2007 alongside SAR Prince Moulay Rachid. Provides prestige and international recognition to the institution.
• CILECT (International Association of Film, Audiovisual and Media Schools)minorOthersInternational association of film, audiovisual and media schools. ESAV's membership provides access to international academic network, exchange opportunities, and recognition of educational standards.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HEAD – Genève: Geneva University of Art and Design covering visual communication, cinema, and digital creation. Comparable as a Francophone European school with strong design and moving-image programs, and a natural benchmark given founder Susanna Biedermann's Swiss origin.
• Supinfocom Rubika: France/Canada-based school specialized in animation, motion design, and video game art. Direct overlap with ESAV's Illustration Animation and Motion Design specializations in curriculum and industry focus.
• ESRA: École Supérieure de Réalisation Audiovisuelle, a French private film school with multiple campuses. Comparable in delivering professional cinema and audiovisual training across sound, image, editing, and post-production specializations with similar tuition-driven model.
• ENSLL (École Nationale Supérieure Louis-Lumière): French grande école specializing in cinematography, sound, and post-production. Comparable in technical specialization depth for the Image, Son, and Montage tracks ESAV offers.
• Gobelins, l'école de l'image: Paris-based school specializing in animation, motion design, and graphic design/visual communication. Closely comparable to ESAV's Design Graphique & Numérique track (Motion Design, Illustration Animation) in both curriculum and Francophone delivery.
• La Fémis: France's national film school (École Nationale Supérieure des Métiers de l'Image et du Son). Comparable as a French-language film school delivering BAC+5-level professional training in directing, cinematography, sound, editing, and screenwriting — the closest European institutional analogue to ESAV.
• EICAR: International Film School of Paris offering BAC+3/5 programs in directing, cinematography, sound, editing, screenwriting and production. Matches ESAV in offering English/French-language professional film training at scale.
• INSAS: Institut National Supérieur des Arts du Spectacle et des Techniques de Diffusion in Brussels. A Francophone film and audiovisual school offering similar directing, cinematography, sound, and editing tracks, with comparable cohort sizes and curriculum structure.

Broad incumbents

• NYU Tisch School of the Arts: Major US film and performing arts school with undergraduate and graduate programs. Serves as a benchmark for what a fully scaled, globally recruiting film school looks like operationally.
• CalArts: California Institute of the Arts, a globally established animation and film school. A broader incumbent benchmark illustrating the scale and reputation ceiling ESAV's animation and film programs could aspire to in the long term.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@esavmarrakech/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/ESAVMarrakech.Officiel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esav-marrakech
• Instagraminstagram.com/esavmarrakech_esavm
• Xx.com/esavmarrakech

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ESAV Marrakech