“Beautiful Men” Wins Best Film of the Festival at LIAF 2024 in the UK

London International Animation Festival

United Kingdom (UK)

The 2024 edition of the London International Animation Festival (LIAF), one of the UK’s premier showcases for animated films, concluded with a celebration of global animation talent. Nicolas Keppens' "Beautiful Men" claimed the top prize as Best Film of the Festival, highlighting the director's compelling storytelling and visual artistry.

18 min

Nicolas Keppens

Beautiful Men Three brothers travel to Istanbul to undergo a hair transplant. Upon arrival, they hear…

In the Best British Film category, Maryam Mohajer’s "And Granny Would Dance" was honored, showcasing a powerful narrative that resonated with both audiences and jurors. The award emphasizes the strength of homegrown talent in the UK animation scene.

Mario Radev’s "(S)" won the Best Abstract Film award, celebrated for its innovative visual language and experimental storytelling. Pierre Caillet and Yan Volsy were recognized for their outstanding sound design in Bastien Dupriez’s "Earth Coal," while Isaji Sunao earned the Best Original Score award for his work in Koji Yamamura's "Extremely Short."

Trailer

Mario Radev

[S] [S] is an artwork that exposes the lifespan of infinity. The film delves into an immersive…

For younger audiences, "Animanimusical" by Julia Ocker and "Lulina and the Moon" by Marcus Vinicius Vasconcelos and Alois Di Leo received Best Children’s Film Awards for 0-7 and 8-15 age groups, respectively. Meanwhile, Hakhyun Kim’s quirky "Desk Bugs" took home the Late Night Bizarre Award.

Among the music videos, Michelle Brand's direction of Vonfelt’s "I’m Leaving" captivated jurors and earned the Best Music Video title. Audience favorites like Jadwiga Kowalska’s "The Car That Came Back From the Sea" and Florence Miailhe's "Butterfly" also stood out in their respective categories.

The festival’s international competition highlighted diverse talents, with Anna Benner’s "Chicken" and Jan Saska’s "Hurikán" receiving acclaim in their thematic programs. In animated documentaries, Anastasiia Falileieva's "I Died in Irpin" brought poignant reflections to the screen.

Complete List of Awards at LIAF 2024

Main Awards

Best Film of the Festival

• "Beautiful Men" / Nicolas Keppens / Belgium

Best British Film

• "And Granny Would Dance" / Maryam Mohajer / UK

Best Sound Design

• "Earth Coal" / Pierre Caillet & Yan Volsy (Dir. Bastien Dupriez) / France

Best Original Score

• "Extremely Short" / Isaji Sunao (Dir. Koji Yamamura) / Japan

Best Abstract Film

• "(S)" / Mario Radev / UK

Best Late Night Bizarre Film

• "Desk Bugs" / Hakhyun Kim / South Korea

Best Music Video

• "Vonfelt – 'I’m Leaving'" / Michelle Brand / France

Children’s Film Awards

Best Film for 8-15 year-olds

• "Lulina and the Moon" / Marcus Vinicius Vasconcelos & Alois Di Leo / Brazil

Best Film for 0-7 year-olds

• "Animanimusical" / Julia Ocker / Germany

Judge’s International Competition Programme Voting

International Competition Programme 1 – Abstract Showcase

• Winner: "(S)" / Mario Radev / UK

International Competition Programme 2 – Playing with Emotion

• Winner: "Chicken" / Anna Benner / UK

International Competition Programme 3 – From Absurd to Zany

• Winner: "Hurikán" / Jan Saska / Czech Republic

International Competition Programme 4 – Being Human

• Winner: "Earth Coal" / Bastien Dupriez / France

International Competition Programme 5 – Into the Dark

• Winner: "As I Was a Tree" / Jalal Maghout / Syria

International Competition Programme 6 – Stop Motion Panorama

• Winner: "Beautiful Men" / Nicolas Keppens / Belgium

International Competition Programme 7 – Animated Documentaries

• Winner: "I Died in Irpin" / Anastasiia Falileieva / Ukraine

International Competition Programme 8 – Long Shorts

• Winner: "Butterfly" / Florence Miailhe / France

Judge’s Highly Commended

Abstract Showcase

• "Help Desk" / Edwin Rostron / UK
• "Grain Cloud Atmosphere" / Martin Moolhuijsen / Netherlands

Late Night Bizarre

• "The Doldrums" / Chris Childs / UK

Children’s Animation for 0-7 year-olds

• "Finding Play" / Dan Castro / UK

Audience Voting

Abstract Showcase

• Winner: "(S)" / Mario Radev / UK

Playing with Emotion

• Winner: "Yuck!" / Loic Espuche / France

From Absurd to Zany

• Winner: "Hurikán" / Jan Saska / Czech Republic

Being Human

• Winner: "The Car That Came Back from the Sea" / Jadwiga Kowalska / Switzerland

Into the Dark

• Winner: "Playing God" / De Matteo Burani & Arianna Gheller / Italy

Stop Motion Panorama (Tied)

• "Adios" / José Prats / Spain
• "Tennis, Oranges" / Sean Pecknold / USA

Animated Documentaries

• Winner: "Inside, The Valley Sings" / Nathan Fagan & Natasza Cetner / Ireland/UK

Long Shorts

• Winner: "Butterfly" / Florence Miailhe / France

British Showcase

• "And Granny Would Dance" / Maryam Mohajer / UK

Late Night Bizarre

• "The Bleacher" / Nicole Daddona & Adam Wilder / USA

Music Video Session

• "Coldplay – 'Feels Like I’m Falling in Love'" / Raman Djafari / Germany

Children’s Film Audience Choices

For 0-7 year-olds

• "One Track Mind" / Faye Isherwood-Wallace / UK

For 8-15 year-olds

• "Whoops!" / Galvão Bertazzi & Luís Canau / Brazil/Portugal