La Fémis was created in 1986, restructured from the former Institut des hautes études cinématographiques (IDHEC) which had been France’s main film school from 1944 to 1985. The restructuring occurred under the supervision of the then Minister of Culture Jack Lang, with scriptwriter Jean-Claude Carrière serving as its first president.
The name FEMIS is an acronym for Fondation européenne pour les Métiers de l’Image et du Son (“European Foundation for the Professions of Image and Sound”). The school is a public establishment under the responsibility of the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. Since 2019, the school has been chaired by French director Michel Hazanivicius.
Originally located in the Palais de Tokyo, the school moved in 1999 to the former Pathé Studios at 6 rue Francoeur in the 18th arrondissement of Paris, where it continues to operate today.
La Fémis offers a rigorous four-year training program. During the first year, all students follow the same general course, gaining experience in various filmmaking roles and techniques. In the second and third years, students follow specialized curricula in their chosen departments, including theoretical classes, practical exercises, film analysis, and collaborative film projects. The fourth year is dedicated to individual end-of-studies projects and participation in classmates’ productions.
The school maintains a balance between artistic research, professional development, and technical training across all aspects of filmmaking. Its departments include directing, screenwriting, cinematography, sound, editing, production, and set design, with script continuity and distribution/exploitation courses added in later years.
La Fémis is consistently ranked among the world’s top film schools. Its alumni have won three of the world’s most prestigious film prizes – Cannes Film Festival’s Golden Palm, Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion, and Berlin International Film Festival’s Golden Bear – eleven times, making it the most rewarded film school in the world.
Since 2004, La Fémis has prioritized the development of its international relations, establishing exchange programs with other leading film schools worldwide. The school also offers continuing education workshops and training programs for cinema and audiovisual professionals in documentary filmmaking, feature fiction writing, series showrunning, and theatrical exhibition management.
La Fémis has trained over 700 students in all filmmaking trades. Its distinguished alumni include acclaimed directors such as François Ozon, Céline Sciamma, Julia Ducournau, and Deniz Gamze Ergüven, among many others who have gone on to make significant contributions to French and international cinema.
Click below to ADD TO FAVORITE or ADD NOTES.
