Underplayed Gems

20,000 Species of Bees (2023)

20,000 Species of Bees poster
Original title
20.000 especies de abejas
Directed by
Estibaliz Urresola
Genre
drama film, LGBTQ-related film
Country
Spain
Runtime
2h 05m
Rated
6
Rating
7.1 of 10 from 117 voters
Elsewhere
IMDb
The 3D catalogue: film cases on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalogue in 3D

The film shelves have a room of their own that you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real films from the same catalogue when you tell them what you feel like watching. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this film is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

More films like thisWatch the trailer

or watch the trailer on YouTube

How it feels

An eight-year-old transgender girl named Lucia spends a summer with her family at a rural beekeeping village. She explores her identity and femininity while the women in her family also reflect on their own lives.

tenderintrospectivegentleearnestslow-pacedfamily-orientedreflectivesun-drenched

What happens

20,000 Species of Bees (Spanish: 20.000 especies de abejas) is a 2023 Spanish drama film written and directed by Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren in her debut feature. It stars Sofía Otero, Patricia López Arnaiz, Ane Gabarain, and Itziar Lazkano. The film narrates the story of Lucía, an eight-year-old transgender girl, who is on a quest for identity. During a summer in a village house linked to beekeeping, she explores her femininity alongside the women of her family, who at the same time reflect on their own. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on 22 February 2023. Nine-year old Sofía Otero won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for the role of Lucía. The film was also nominated for Best Feature Film Teddy Award. Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren, the first feature director was nominated for GWFF Best First Feature Award in the festival. In March 2023, the film won Golden Biznaga for Best Spanish Film at the 26th Málaga Film Festival. It was released in cinemas in Spain on 21 April 2023. The film was shortlisted for submission to 96th Academy Awards as Spanish entry for Best International Feature Film in September 2023. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

More like this

This page is from Underplayed Gems. Not quite it? You can browse by genre, country and year, or take this one into the 3D catalogue and ask the Catbot for something closer.