20,000 Species of Bees

Name: 20,000 Species of Bees
Genre: Drama
Released: June 14, 2024
Duration: 125 min
Rating: 80
Cast: Ane Gabarain, Fernando Ustarroz, Goize Blanco, Itziar Lazkano, Martxelo Rubio

2024

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Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

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20.000 Especies De Abejas (English Subtitled)

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Movie Details & Credits

Film Movement | Release Date: June 14, 2024 | Not Rated

Starring: Ane Gabarain, Fernando Ustarroz, Goize Blanco, Itziar Lazkano, Martxelo Rubio, Miguel Garcés, Patricia López Arnaiz, Sara Cozar, Sofía Otero, Unax Hayden

Summary: In a small, sleepy village in the Basque Country, a sculptor named Ane and her three children arrive at her mother Lita's home for summer vacation where they are surrounded by extended family and nosy neighbors. Ane and her mother's relationship is strained — Lita disapproves of her daughter's frayed marriage, career as an artist, and theIn a small, sleepy village in the Basque Country, a sculptor named Ane and her three children arrive at her mother Lita's home for summer vacation where they are surrounded by extended family and nosy neighbors. Ane and her mother's relationship is strained — Lita disapproves of her daughter's frayed marriage, career as an artist, and the way she parents her obstinate and mischievous children. Chief among them is eight-year-old Aitor, nicknamed Coco after it becomes clear that being referred to by the Aitor elicits feelings of distress in the child. Born biologically male, neither birth name nor the genderless nickname feel quite right, and Ane’s concern for her child grows as Coco becomes more withdrawn. The child’s only respite lies in the Basque hills, where Ane's aunt Lourdes tends to the family's beekeeping farm. Among the peaceful humming of bees and Lourdes' open-minded guardianship, Coco slowly begins to confide in family and friends her discomfort in her body, eventually voicing a desire to be treated as a girl. As Coco explores her own developing identity over the summer, Ane and the rest of her family in turn must learn to accept the child as she is.… Expand

Director: Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren

Genre(s): Drama

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 125 min

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Critic Reviews

Jordan Mintzer

May 5, 2023

Carried by impressively fluid, determinedly naturalistic filmmaking, with performances that never hit a false note, 20,000 Species of Bees (20.000 especies de abejas) marks an assured debut, slowly but surely hitting an emotional crescendo during its final minutes Read full review

Lee Marshall

May 5, 2023

An engaging, authentic, moving film about the way society persists in seeing monsters where there are none. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Jun 13, 2024

20,000 Species of Bees grabs you on several levels, starting with the arresting Basque Country locations. We pick up the rituals of beekeepers, but also explore how one of the fruits of the hive — beeswax — is vital in casting bronze sculptures. Read full review

The Film Verdict Deborah Young

Jul 10, 2023

Steering away from exaggerated drama and concentrating most of the scenes on the little girl and her mother Ane (emerging Spanish actress Patricia Lopez Arnalz), 20,000 Species of Bees (20.000 especies de abejas) opens audiences up to a new understanding of trans kids, especially the idea that it is not the child who needs to transition, it’s the family and society who need to change their perceptions. Read full review

Natalia Keogan

Jun 17, 2024

Though so many trans stories investigate the ramifications of trauma, 20,000 Species of Bees adopts the warm embrace of a summer breeze. Read full review

Guy Lodge

May 5, 2023

Unassuming and meanderingly character-oriented, the film doesn’t assert itself as an issue drama — in large part because, as Solaguren presents her eight-year-old protagonist’s gradual steps toward self-realization, her film doesn’t see much of an issue to begin with. Read full review

Diego Semerene

Jun 10, 2024

The film blooms in moments where, instead of literally addressing Coco's gender trouble, we’re simply allowed to inhabit it. Read full review

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