MOME graduation films debut in Hiroshima
Two recent MOME films are set to screen at Japan’s only Oscar-qualifying festival dedicated exclusively to animation. Director Ráhel Gáti’s About the Line and Director Dániel Diószeghy’s Cargo Voyage will make their international premieres after being selected for the short film competition programme of Hiroshima Animation Season 2026.
Held between 19 and 23 August, the biennial festival is built around the themes of peace and culture. Alongside showcasing outstanding animation from across the world, it places particular emphasis on the animation cultures of the Asia-Pacific region.
In About the Line, an innocent game spirals into tragedy. While exploring the forest, Anna comes across a rabbit, but in the middle of their carefree play she crosses a line and accidentally kills it. Consumed by guilt, she is forced to confront the unspoken traumas passed down through generations of her family.
The protagonist of Cargo Voyage is a young warehouse worker trapped in a life of monotony and repetition. One day, he encounters a television presenter who gradually draws him into the world of advertising through a series of small, seemingly insignificant events. He takes the opportunity but ends up paying a heavy price for his decision.
Both films were produced by MOME with support from the National Film Institute (NFI), with Zsuzsanna Vincze as producer, Judit Czakó as editor, and sound design by József Iszlai. He co-composed the score for About the Line with Gergely István Iszlai, while writing the music for Cargo Voyage himself.
MOME alumnus Bence Hlavay, who graduated in 2023, has also been invited to take part in the “H-AIR” – Hiroshima Artist-in-Residence 2026 programme. His diploma film I Would Eat It if I Could has been screened around the world, and received the Best Student Short Film award at Anima 2025. The residency programme is designed to temporarily integrate invited artists into the city’s cultural life. During his time in Hiroshima, Hlavay will work on his own animation project, Guided by You, while also contributing to local community events as an instructor.