The 32nd annual Philadelphia Film Festival runs October 19-29, 2023 and features over 80 feature films (and numerous shorts!) from over 25 countries. Most films play twice and our own Justin Nordell will be sharing “Philly Film Fest Fast Reviews” to give you a taste of the festival so you can pick and choose which films to make for the second screenings!
Summer vacation is a sacred time in the lives of any youth. To spend quality time with family, forge lifelong friendships, and adventure through the sunny days and lightning bug streaked nights are the hallmarks of childhood. Coco (Sofía Otero in their film debut) travels to the Basque region of Spain to visit family with their two siblings and artist mother Ane (Patricia López Arnaiz, The Legacy of the Bones). They stay with grandmother Lita (Itziar Lazcano, I Want You) and beekeeper aunt Lourdes (Ane Gabarian, Common Wealth) in the small town where there isn’t much to do but run wild through the Spanish countryside. Coco quickly befriends other local children, but a trip to the community pool provides the first obstacle to their summer vacation. The problem is that Coco, referred to as their birth name Aitor by their grandmother, was born a boy but knows that they are actually a girl. What is refreshing about 20,000 Species of Bees is that this problem is categorically not Coco’s… it’s other people’s.
At its core, 20,000 Species of Bees is a lovely portrait of that one member of your family who simply gets you and loves you unconditionally. In this case, it’s titular beekeeper Lourdes, whose acceptance and love of Coco is infectious throughout the community. The difficulty is… the misty moments and the breakthroughs of acceptance for a trans child are few and far between amongst the films over two hour runtime. Despite pacing issues, this is a lovingly told story of a child simply existing in this world and is worth the watch.
In Spanish with English subtitles.
Grade: B-
Catch it at PFF23: Thursday, October 26th at 3:15pm at the PFS Bourse
FREE Tickets Must Be Reserved In Advance
Available here.
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