Documentary exploring the current global honeybee crisis. What’s the crisis? Bees are disappearing in mass numbers with no clear single explanation. Since 2006, media has been reporting the phenomenon with commercial beekeepers reporting losses of an average of 30% of their colony (some losses are as high as 90%).
Scientists call this phenomenon Colony Collapse Disorder. Told through the stories and opinions of biodynamic beekeepers, scientists, farmers, and philosophers from around the world, the film investigates the history of beekeeping, how our historic relationship with bees has been lost (due to highly mechanized industrial practices) and the dire implications of the crisis.
Having championed the cause of Community Supported Agriculture in The Real Dirt, sometime Banks Peninsula-based filmmaker Siegel now goes into bat for the bees in this informative, enlightening and alarm-inducing doco.
His collection of molecular biologists, botanists and biodynamic beekeepers all buzz from the same song-sheet – that colonies and hives are facing a crisis that could have major implications for the whole of humanity. Lose them and we would lose 40 per cent of our foodstuffs due to a lack of pollination.
Amongst the doom and gloom is a playfulness with the talking heads (including a number of Kiwis) separated by a variety of animated sequences which cover the gamut of styles from claymation to traditional animation. A violin-backed soundtrack threatens to up the schmaltz level but story is grounded by the down-to-earth nature of the interviewees many of whom have their own eccentricities – one even likes to visit his colony bare-chested, while Britain's youngest beekeeper names his queens after monarchs. In a nod to that other Bee Movie, it is suggested that part of the problem for bees' bad press in the past has been the reputation of their relative – the wasp.
By James Croot, Flicks.co.nz
What a wonderful film. It has the potential to not only transfrom our country and world for survival, but it also warms the heart and gives plently of nourishment to our souls. Highly recommended for everyone, 9 and up. Please see this film, you will certainly be so thankful you did! :) Bee informed, bee inspired and Bee moved to love your world, even more!
Bees have been so good to humans for centuries ... it is time for us to be good them and not just honey-money hungry ! Watch this, get informed and inspired ... and possibly become a bee keeper, or at least a bee friendly human ! Everyone above, say 7 years old, should watch this film.
Pollen and politics...
While the science doesn't massively come to the forefront, what does leap out from the screen is the colour and the extent to which bees have - and continue to - permeate our lives. Gently assuming and intelligently made, this doco is intriguing enough to keep your attention throughout.
We've been told the NZ release date for this flick is Friday, 1st Apr 2011.
Release date: April 1st 2011.
We haven't received times for this movie in this location yet. However these are updated as cinemas announce them, so check back soon. Hopefully the lovely cinemas in your location will choose to play it shortly. ~Ed.
