Arfis

Name

Arfis

Legal name

ÉSEC

Website

https://arfis.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Arfis (operating as ÉSEC) is a private French higher education institution offering 3-4 year cinema and audiovisual programs across Paris and Lyon campuses, serving baccalaureate-holding students with specialization tracks spanning screenwriting through post-production, including AI-integrated curriculum.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cinema and Audiovisual Higher Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Fine Arts Schools (61161), Apprenticeship Training (611513)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Animation, Game Art & Digital Arts Colleges (EDAHAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

AR/VR & Immersive Learning Content Development (EDAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Cinema education programs
• Audiovisual professional training
• Film production curriculum
• Post-production specialization
• Higher education film

Headquarters

HQ city

Villeurbanne

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: ÉSEC is a private higher education institution (établissement d'enseignement supérieur privé) under Groupe EDH that generates revenue through student tuition and fees. The school offers multi-year programs (3-4 years) in cinema and audiovisual fields.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Arfis delivers a 3-4 year private higher education program in cinema and audiovisual professions, covering the full production pipeline from screenwriting and direction to post-production, distribution, and virtual production. The curriculum combines a foundation year (discovery), a second year of in-depth study across four competence fields (Fiction Fabrication, Fiction Conception, Réel, and Direct in Lyon), and an optional two-year specialization phase with eight trade-specific tracks. Practical training relies on inter-disciplinary team exercises that replicate professional film crew workflows and integrate Artificial Intelligence tools across all specializations. Two physical campuses in Paris and Lyon host the program with dedicated production equipment and facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cinema & Audiovisual Higher Education Curriculum (3-4 year Cursus) Multi-year (3-4 year) private higher education program covering the full cinema and audiovisual production pipeline, structured in a Year 1 foundation phase, a Year 2 in-depth major-track phase (Fiction Fabrication, Fiction Conception, Réel, Direct), and an optional Year 3-4 specialization phase. Designed for French baccalaureate holders seeking direct entry into film and audiovisual studies; delivered on Paris and Lyon campuses.
• Year 3-4 Specialization Programs in Cinema Trades Optional Years 3 and 4 of the curriculum in which students choose one of eight specialization tracks covering Direction/On-set Trades, Post-production, Production/Distribution, Screenwriting, Virtual Production, Documentary, Videography, and Direct. Each track integrates practical use of Artificial Intelligence tools.
• Alternance (Work-Study) Program Work-study (alternance) delivery format of Year 4 of the specialization program, allowing students to deepen their cinema trade specializations through alternating academic and professional practice periods.
• VAE - Validation des Acquis de l'Expérience Validation of Acquired Experience (VAE) pathway for experienced candidates seeking formal recognition of their cinema and audiovisual competencies without completing the standard 3-4 year program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3-4 year program duration from enrollment to professional qualification

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Groupe EDHcoreOthersÉSEC is a member of Groupe EDH (École des Fonctions et des Métiers), a private higher education group. Groupe EDH comprises multiple schools including EFAP, ICART, EFJ, Brassart, MoPA, CREAD, ÉCOLE BLEUE, 3W Academy, IFA Paris, Cesine, CREANAVARRA, MIAMI AD SCHOOL, and GNOMON. As part of the group, ÉSEC benefits from institutional resources and cross-school collaboration opportunities.
• Festival PartnersminorOthersÉSEC maintains partnerships with festivals and industry events as referenced in the 'Festivals & partenaires' section of their website, connecting students with industry professionals and exhibition opportunities.

Scale indicators1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• 3iS (Institut International de l'Image et du Son): Private French audiovisual school with campuses in Paris and Bordeaux delivering programs in cinema, sound, and post-production. Closely comparable in business model, multi-campus structure, and curriculum coverage of the audiovisual production pipeline.
• La Fémis: State-funded elite French national film school offering directing, cinematography, editing, production, and screenwriting programs. Comparable as a French film-specialist higher education institution, though larger and more selective than ESEC.
• LISAA (L'Institut Supérieur des Arts Appliqués): Private French school offering programs in animation, video games, design, and digital arts with multiple French campuses. Comparable in its multi-campus private higher education model and overlap in digital/visual arts specializations adjacent to film.
• EICAR (International Film School of Paris): Private Paris-based film and audiovisual school offering multi-year programs across directing, production, post-production, and screenwriting. Directly comparable as a private French film school competing for the same baccalaureate-to-bachelor student segment.
• ENS Louis-Lumière: French grande école specializing in cinematography, sound, and photography. Comparable as a French higher education institution training film professionals across the audiovisual production chain, though state-funded and more research-oriented.

Broad incumbents

• New York Film Academy (NYFA): International private film and performing arts school with global locations. Comparable as a private, tuition-driven film school offering multi-year programs across directing, producing, and post-production, with significantly broader international scale.
• SAE Institute: Global private post-secondary network with French campuses offering programs in audio, film, animation, and game development. Comparable as a multi-campus private vocational education provider in audiovisual fields, though with broader geographic and disciplinary reach.
• MoPA (Motion Picture Animation school): Sister school under Groupe EDH specializing in 3D animation and VFX. Comparable as a co-member school of the same parent group serving creative industries with technical training, with overlapping student demographics and shared group infrastructure.

Others

• CREAD (Groupe EDH): Sister school under Groupe EDH focused on interior architecture and design. Comparable as a co-member school of the parent group with shared institutional resources, but operates in an adjacent creative discipline rather than film/audiovisual.
• Brassart (Groupe EDH): Sister school under Groupe EDH offering programs in graphic design, animation, and game art. Comparable as a co-member school sharing parent group infrastructure and an overlapping student interest profile in visual/creative arts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arfis_ecole
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EsecCinema
• Facebookfacebook.com/arfis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/esec-ecole-des-metiers-du-cinema-et-de-l-audiovisuel
• Instagraminstagram.com/esecofficiel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Arfis