Through the curriculum she developed, the international partnerships she established with other animation schools, her textbook, and the founding of the Foundation for the Production of Animation Diploma Films, she helped dozens of young talents bring their work to life and reach wider audiences, as well as international film festivals.  

Edit Bleier was born in Budapest in 1939. She began studying decorative painting at the Hungarian College of Applied Arts in 1961, before turning to animation under the guidance of József Nepp, alongside József Gémes, and Zsolt Richly. She graduated in 1966 as an animation director and designer and went on to work at Pannónia Film Studio, where she later also headed the Talent School which subsequently began collaborating with the college.  

Alongside her creative work, she devoted much of her career to teaching animation, establishing it as an academic discipline and supporting young artists. From the very outset, in the 1970s and 1980s, parents would ask her whether it was possible to make a living from animation and whether this profession had a future. Today, thanks in part to her work as a teacher and head of department, we know that animation is not only a form of creative self-expression but also a wonderful, universally understood medium for entertainment and education. It unfolds in time, is fleeting and, in Edit Bleier’s words, “captures what cannot be captured”.   

In 2026, MOME awarded Edit Bleier a Diamond Diploma in recognition of her career and achievements, but sadly, illness prevented her from accepting it.   

Without her groundbreaking work, neither the MOME community nor animation education in Hungary – nor the professional scene that emerged from it – would be what they are today: internationally visible, successful and thriving. The intellectual legacy she built, her commitment to professional excellence, and the strong sense of community she fostered remain central to MOME Animation today. “A film is never the work of one person,” she said – something we see and experience every day on the Animation programme and beyond.  

We honour her memory and legacy with deep respect and gratitude.