Vanishing of the Bees (2009)

Directors:

George Langworthy
Maryam Henein (co-director)

Writers:

George Langworthy (writer) &
Maryam Henein (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 October 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Documentary | History

Tagline:

A documentary for anyone who likes to eat.

Plot:

This documentary takes a piercing investigative look at the economic, political and ecological implications...

Plot Keywords:

Honeybee | Bee | Honey | Agriculture | Nature

Cast

Ellen Page	...	Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bret Adee	...	Himself - World's Largest Beekeeper
Dennis Cardoza	...	Himself - Representative, California
Henri Clement	...	Himself - UNAF President
Jay Feldman	...	Himself - Executive Director, Beyond Pesticides
Emilia Fox	...	Herself - Narrator
Maryann Frazier	...	Herself - Department of Entomology, Penn State University
Jean Glavany	...	Himself - French Politician
Davey Hackenberg	...	Himself - Beekeeper, Lewisberg, Pennsylvania
David Hackenberg	...	Himself - Beekeeper, Lewisberg, Pennsylvania
Gunther Hauk	...	Himself - Author, Toward Saving the Honeybee
Wayne Larsen	...	Himself - Pesticide Applicator
Dee Lusby	...	Herself - Founder, Organic Beekeeping Group
David Mendes	...	Himself - Beekeeper, Fort Myers, Florida
Philipp Mimkes	...	Himself - Coalition Against Bayer Dangers
Mike Painter	...	Himself - Farmer
Jeff Pettis	...	Himself - Head of Honeybee Research Lab, USDA
David Pettit	...	Himself - Senior Attorney, NRDC
Michael Pollan	...	Himself - Author, In Defense of Food
Billy Rhodes	...	Himself - Beekeeper, Umatilla, Florida
Rick Smith	...	Himself - Former Commercial Beekeeper, Yuma, Arizona
Randy Stone	...	Himself - Farmer
Tom Theobald	...	Himself - Beekeeper, Niwot, Colorado
Ava Tuenge	...	Herself - Home Gardner
Tia Tuenge	...	Herself - Home Gardner
Fred Westerhold	...	Himself - Farmer

Directed by
George Langworthy
Maryam Henein		(co-director)

Writing credits
George Langworthy		(writer) &
Maryam Henein		(writer) &
James Erskine		(writer)

Produced by
James Erskine	....	executive producer
Peter J. Heller	....	co-executive producer
Maryam Henein	....	producer
David Langworthy	....	associate producer
George Langworthy	....	producer
Holly Mosher	....	executive producer
Tricia van Klaveren	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
George Langworthy

Film Editing by
William Gazecki

Art Department
Alexander Williams	....	storyboard artist

Sound Department
Graham Colwell	....	narration recordist
Lawrence Everson	....	sound editor
Lawrence Everson	....	sound re-recording mixer
Brian Power	....	post audio coordinator

Other crew
Alura Bouvier	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Hipfuel
• Hive Mentality Films

Distributors

• Dogwoof Pictures (2009) (UK) (theatrical)
• Cargo Films and Releasing (2011) (Non-USA) (TV)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | French

Color:

Color

Certification:

UK:U

Filming Locations:

Australia

Company:

Hipfuel

Movie Connections:

Features "The Simpsons: The Burns and the Bees (#20.8)" (2008)

A Must-See

This film, like many other noteworthy independent documentaries that aim to educate the public, is necessary viewing for everyone who appreciates the food they eat and the intricate web of life they're a part of. It's also, especially, for those who do not.

Both tragic and inspiring, the call to action of the film is clear: Honeybees are threatened by everything from the pesticides we use on our mono-crops, to the lack of plant diversity established from such crop formations, to climate change and harsh industrial shipping practices. Honeybees, in short, are exhausted and are disappearing at an alarming rate across the world. Vanishing of the Bees highlights that without them, we have no food and the balance of nature is dangerously off. Watch the film to learn and then educate those around you. Honeybees aren't just "pests" in your yard, and they don't just produce honey; they are the basic neurons of our food system, and essentially, of our life.