THE BEEKEEPERS

THE BEEKEEPERS

    Price: $210.00

    Code: 2352

    Directed by Richard Knox Robinson
    2008, 28 Minutes
    Purchase: $210 | Classroom Rental: $125

    What can the behavior of bees tell us about our environment? The Beekeepers is an innovative documentary that investigates the causes behind Colony Collapse Disorder, the mass disappearance of bees all over the world.

    An ancient profession that has been traced back to the Egyptians, beekeeping has served a variety of purposes in cultures and civilizations for thousands of years. In the beginning, bees were considered sacred and honey was used in religious rites. In fact, almost all ancient religions paid some form of tribute to the bees. In later years, the Church followed suit. When it required that all candles be made of beeswax, monasteries began keeping bees to fill this need. After Darwin revealed the relationship of the flower to its pollinator, and the crucial role honeybees play in the production of food became apparent, science discovered a newfound interest in the beekeepers. Today, scientists estimate that bees are involved in one out of every three bites of food that we eat.

    The Beekeepers combines this fascinating history with interviews of contemporary beekeepers and environmentalist, including David Hackenberg, the discoverer of Colony Collapse Disorder, Ann Harman, editor of "The ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture" and Wayne Esaias, a NASA expert on global warming. As the honeybee is often referred to as the new canary in the coalmine, this mysterious, thought-provoking documentary considers the implications for our world when millions of bees suddenly begin to die.

    Subjects & Collections



    Festivals & Awards

    * Official Selection, Sundance Film Festival, 2009
    * Official Selection, Hot Docs Film Festival, 2009
    * Winner, Best Documentary Short, Atlanta Film Festival, 2009



    Reviews

    “Highly Recommended. This DVD focuses on bees as environmental harbingers. Raised by humans for probably five thousand years, it was not until Darwin’s observations in the nineteenth century that scientists realized how roughly four- fifths of the crops grown agriculturally depend on bees for pollination. The advent of widespread pesticide use (an outgrowth of early twentieth-century chemical warfare) has caused systemic declines in bee populations. Interviews with several beekeepers underline the potential disaster that may begin with bees and spread up the life chain to ourselves.” - Educational Media Reviews Online

    “Recommended.” - Video Librarian

    "The Beekeepers explores Colony Collapse Disorder, the threatened extinction of bees throughout the world as a result of the changing environment. The film artfully utilizes the documentary form to chart the element of mystery in this environmental phenomenon." - The Independent