József Gémes is a Hungarian animator and filmmaker best known in North America for his film The Princess and the Goblin (1991). He attended the József Attila High School and graduated in 1958 and initially began work as a lathe operator. From 1961 to 1966 he attended the Hungarian College of Applied Arts in the decorative painting department. In his third year at the college he was instructed by József Nepp and began to see his life in animation solidify. In 1965, Gémes worked as a movement designer on the anthology series, Tales from the World of Art produced by Pannónia Film Studio. After graduating with honors in 1966, Gémes would go on to work as an animator and director at Pannónia Film Studio for forty-four years.