"Manages to be both timely and timeless, making its hot-button issue feel like part of a larger, spiritual cycle of life and loss. Carried by impressively fluid, determinedly naturalistic filmmaking, with performances that never hit a false note, 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES marks an assured debut." - Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
"Extraordinary for its sensitivity and perception, Estibollz Urresolo Sologuren’s story of an 8-year-old girl’s growing discomfort with being perceived as a boy is a landmark in the filmic discussion of gender, sexuality and identity. " - Deborah Young, The Film Verdict
Opens May 31 | In a village in the Basque Country, Ane, a sculptor and mother of three, arrives at the home of her mother Lita for a summer vacation. There is tension in the air: Ane’s marriage is crumbling, and her mother disapproves of the way she parents her headstrong children, including eight-year-old Aitor, also known as Cocó, who is exploring their gender identity. As Ane struggles to connect with her child and their quest for authenticity while her own happiness is in question, Cocó finds respite with their beekeeping great aunt Lourdes, who allows Cocó to be themselves without a demand for answers or explanation. Winner of dozens of awards, including the Silver Bear acting award for newcomer Sofía Otero, 20,000 SPECIES OF BEES is a compassionate coming-of-age film that serves as a soothing balm to the attacks on non-binary youth across the globe. Film Center exclusive.
Awards & Nominations
Winner - Silver Bear, Best Leading Performance (Sofía Otero), Berlin Film Festival
Winner - Grand Jury Prize, Seattle International Film Festival
Winner - Jury Award for Outstanding First Feature, Frameline LGBTQ+ Film Festival
The Film Center is ADA accessible. This presentation will be projected without open captions. The theater is hearing-loop equipped. For accessibility requests, please email filmcenter@saic.edu