The 2025 Oscar-nominated short Beautiful Men, a Belgium-France-Netherlands co-production directed by Nicolas Keppens, is a quietly charming and surprisingly heartfelt stop-motion gem now available to watch on Miyu’s Bang Bang YouTube channel, one of the best platforms for indie shorts on the internet today.
The film follows three bald brothers on an offbeat road trip to Istanbul in pursuit of hair transplants, blending wry humor with a tender look at identity, self-esteem, and family bonds.
With its meticulously crafted puppets and richly textured sets, Beautiful Men blends Keppens’ visual style with a script that balances comedic absurdity and genuine emotion. The brothers’ dynamic, equal parts quirky and relatable, keeps the film’s narrative grounded even as it leans into the surreal absurdity of their quest.
The short, produced by Miyu Productions, Animal Tank, Ka-Ching Cartoons, earned significant acclaim on the festival circuit, taking home two prizes at Annecy and earning an animated short nomination at the Academy Awards last year.