Beautiful Men Short Film 2023

Discover Beautiful Men Short Film (2023), a powerful Animated shorts by Nicolas Keppens exploring identity, masculinity, and vulnerability. Watch the award-winning drama today.

🎨 Beautiful Men Short Film (2023) by Nicolas Keppens 🇧🇪💇‍♂️

Watch the acclaimed Animated shorts Beautiful Men Short Film (2023) by director Nicolas Keppens. A poignant exploration of masculinity and connection.

📋 Quick Facts

• Year: 2023 🗓️
• Runtime: 19 minutes ⏱️
• Countries: Belgium, France, Netherlands 🇧🇪🇫🇷🇳🇱
• Language: Flemish/Dutch (with subtitles) 🗣️
• Genre: Stop-motion Animation, Comedy-Drama 🎬
• Director/Writer: Nicolas Keppens 🎥✍️
• Status: OSCAR-NOMINATED for Best Animated Short Film (2025) 🏆

Watch the Trailer

Watch the Shorts

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/beautifulmen2?msockid=22cebc6fc3e5643118d5aa67c24d6544

🎭 Synopsis

Beautiful Men Short Film (2023); Three balding brothers—depressive Steven, standoffish Bart, and kindhearted Koen—travel to Istanbul, Turkey 🇹🇷 for hair transplants. But Steven mistakenly booked only one surgery appointment 😱, and he’s too nervous to admit his error to his brothers.

Stuck together in a hotel far from home, their insecurities grow faster than their hair (or lack thereof) as tensions rise, secrets surface, and brotherhood is tested. Beautiful Men Short Film (2023); A foggy deus ex machina ultimately saves the day in this tender, melancholic comedy about male vulnerability 💔😂

🌟 Cast & Creative Team

• Voice Cast: Wim Willaert, Johan Heldenbergh, Gilles De Schryver 🎭
• Production Companies: Miyu Productions, Animal Tank, Ka-Ching Cartoons 🎬
• Stop-motion Animation: Handcrafted silicone puppets, wood sets, meticulous detail 🤏
• Director’s Note: Keppens wanted to explore “a type of man that felt closer to how I feel, something more tender than what I’ve seen in films” 💭

🏆 Major Awards & Recognition

• 97th Academy Awards (2025): Nominated – Best Animated Short Film 🎬
• Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2024:
  • Alexeïeff-Parker Award 🏆
  • Festivals Connexion Award 🎉
  • Cristal Nomination ✨
• Ottawa International Animation Festival 2024: Best Narrative Short 🥇
• Aspen Shortsfest 2024: Best Animation + The Ellen Award 🌟
• Hamptons International Film Festival 2024: Golden Starfish Honorable Mention 🏖️
• London International Animation Festival 2024: Best Film of the Festival 🎭
• Annie Awards 2025: Nominated – Best Animated Short Subject 🎨

💡 The Origin Story

Beautiful Men Short Film (2023); Director Nicolas Keppens was on a work trip to Istanbul when his colleague accidentally booked a hotel that collaborated with a hair transplant clinic. “The room was filled with bald men, eating their granola in silence.

Their heads were all bloody… it was quite a tender sight to see: These insecure men waiting for a cure!” 🍳💭 This real-life image sparked the film’s exploration of male fragility.

🎨 Animation Style

• Stop-motion debut for Keppens (previously 2D animator) 🔄
• Silicone puppets with incredible tactile detail (you can see the skin texture!) ✋
• Wood-crafted sets built in a local cultural center’s conference room due to budget constraints 🏠
• Fog as narrative device: Represents the brothers’ inability to push the story forward—external forces (fog, fire alarms) must intervene 🌫️🔥

💔 Key Themes

• Male insecurity & body image (baldness as metaphor) 🦲
• Brotherhood & family dynamics 👨‍👨‍👦
• The inability to communicate vulnerability 🤐
• Aging & the pursuit of “perfection” ⏰
• Tenderness in unlikely places 💝

🔥 Critical Reception

• “A slick, stylish short with stunning animation and a sharp sense of humor” – Rotten Tomatoes 🍅
• “The shock of the year” (referring to the post-surgery reveal) 😱
• “Can’t believe I just nearly cried over three balding clay men” 😭
• “Big year for claymation penises” (yes, there’s nudity!) 🍆
• “Target audience is middle-aged men like me” 👨‍🦲

📺 Where to Watch

• Vimeo: Available to rent/buy through Miyu Distribution 📱
• Festival circuit: Still touring internationally 🎪
• Oscar season: In consideration for 2025 Academy Awards 🏆

---

Bottom Line: Beautiful Men Short Film (2023); This 19-minute stop-motion gem is a surprisingly tender, darkly funny exploration of male fragility that proves animation can tackle adult insecurities with nuance and heart. With its Oscar nomination and festival domination, it’s a must-see for anyone who’s ever felt insecure about their appearance (so… everyone?)! 🇧🇪🎨✨