Courage is Beautiful showcased striking portraits of real frontline healthcare workers, wearing the toll of the pandemic on their faces, with faces that are bruised and scarred from protective masks. The film is a tribute to honour the men and women fighting to save our lives during the pandemic. Beyond the physical imprints left by their masks, their enduring faces also bore the marks of exhaustion and the emotional toll of long hospital shifts. But despite the severity of these powerful images, their faces evoked beauty to us, as their courage was something truly beautiful. The film also announces Dove’s commitment to donate $5 million to frontline healthcare workers globally. It aired in over 15 countries, going live across several major TV networks. With a film featuring a few photographs, Dove challenged the definition of “beauty” yet again and gave healthcare heroes the reassurance that they’re not in this alone.

In times of crisis, we are reminded that beauty isn’t about how you look, but what you do. And during the pandemic, frontline workers demonstrated the epitome of this beauty, showing us there is no greater expression of yourself than the qualities of selflessness, compassion and bravery. After long hours and double shifts, they looked exhausted, with deep, skin-blistering marks across their faces left from protective masks. Despite their appearance, they were resilient, continuing to fight day after day to save lives. We saw beauty in this courage. Their bravery inspired us. Our film not only featured heroes, it was also photographed by heroes. By featuring their striking portraits alongside three powerful words that spoke volumes in 15 countries, with each nation featuring local healthcare workers, Dove showed that beauty isn’t how you look, but what you do.