Finding Humanity in Motion: Nicolas Fong on Hugs and the Power of Touch

In a world that often feels overstimulated, violent, and emotionally disconnected, animator Nicolas Fong offers something radically simple: a hug.

Fong’s latest animated short, Hugs, is an immersive, sensory experience that transforms touch, movement, and emotion into a playful yet deeply human cinematic ride. The film is part of the Sundance Film Festival Animated Shorts Program, marking a major milestone in Fong’s career and a fitting stage for a film built entirely on connection.

A Journey Into Animation

Based in Brussels, Belgium, Fong has spent over 20 years working in animation, motion design, and music videos. Animation, for him, began with drawing as a child and evolved through graphic design. Where the limitation of telling a story in a single image eventually pushed him toward motion.

“There was something frustrating about only doing one image,” Fong explains. “I wanted to see my drawings move. When they come alive, it still feels magical every time.”

Hugs is Fong’s second short film, but in many ways, it represents the culmination of ideas he’s been exploring throughout his career.

Why Hugs?

The inspiration behind Hugs is deceptively straightforward.

“I like hugs,” Fong says plainly.

In many of his previous projects, he noticed recurring moments where characters would share a cuddle or an embrace. Moments he found especially rewarding to animate. Eventually, he asked himself: Why not make an entire film built only from hugs?

What followed was a six-year creative process, built without a traditional script, storyboard, or rigid plan. Fong animated individual hugs over time, sometimes weeks apart, then later attempted to assemble them into a cohesive film.

“I worked without a scenario. I animated first, and only later tried to make it into a movie.”

A Roller Coaster of Emotion

What makes Hugs so distinctive is its immersive point-of-view style. The film unfolds as if the viewer is riding on the back of a bicyclist, gliding through a series of embraces like a roller coaster—fluid, rhythmic, and constantly in motion.

The sense of rhythm didn’t come easily. Fong describes the editing process as a “ping-pong” collaboration between himself and the film’s composer. Each responding to the other until the pacing finally clicked.

“It was a long process,” he admits. “I would edit, the musician would respond, then I would re-edit again.”

The result is a film that feels playful on the surface, but emotionally layered underneath.

The Misconception of Animation

One of the biggest misconceptions about animation, according to Fong, is how much planning is required before a single frame is drawn.

“The worst thing you can do is start animating without a plan,” he says—speaking from experience.

Because Hugs was self-produced with no external pressure, the project stretched over years, evolving through multiple versions, visual styles, and even abandoned concepts (including a fully hand-colored frame-by-frame version).

“There was no one to tell me, ‘You have to finish this now.’ That freedom is beautiful, but it costs time.”

More Than Just a Feel-Good Film

While Hugs may feel light and joyful, Fong is intentional about its deeper message.

He sees the film as a gentle response to a world overwhelmed by aggression, isolation, and unhealthy expressions of masculinity. The film emphasizes consent, showing that even affection requires mutual understanding.

“I don’t think hugs are a solution to everything,” Fong says. “But I think they can help people feel better.”

His hope is simple: that audiences leave the theater feeling softer, calmer, and more open toward one another.

“If people feel better after, then maybe they’ll be better with each other.”

Sundance and a Full-Circle Moment

Premiering at Sundance is something Fong still hasn’t fully processed.

“What started as a joke with friends became real,” he says. “Now I’m actually going.”

With Sundance marking its final year in Park City, Hugs becomes part of the festival’s history, a fitting home for a film about presence, warmth, and shared experience.

What’s Next?

Looking ahead, Fong is interested in expanding his fascination with early animation devices like the phenakistoscope. Circular looping animations viewed through mirrors. His next goal? Creating a massive version that contains an actual narrative rather than a simple loop.

“It starts with an idea,” he says. “And then… we see.”

Hugs doesn’t shout. It doesn’t rush. It simply invites you in and reminds us that sometimes, the most radical thing art can do is ask us to feel.

Hugs screens as part of the Sundance Animated Shorts Program. Kickin' It with Tyree