My Garden of a Thousand Bees

What happens when a cameraman who used to work in the wild now has to stay at home during lockdown? He aims the lens at his own garden! Watching the secret homes of wild bees and looking for peace in the middle of a pandemic are approached with a personal touch. Martin Dohrn gradually gets to know the bees. His Bristol garden is visited by around 60 different species—honey bees, bumblebees, and even solitary bees. In essayist style, he describes the bees’ behavior, watches their lives, and eventually differentiates between them. How does a freshly hatched bee learn about the world it sees for the first time? The film shows the view through the lens as well—from the making of one’s own film optics to the ways of filming this shy insect. (Academia Film Olomouc)