Beekeeping was banned in New York City in 1999, but in light of the international crises surrounding the dwindling bee population, the ban was lifted in 2010. A new documentary, The Beekeeper, follows the city’s beekeeping communities as they rebuild themselves. Director Susan Sfarra told the Brooklyn Eagle what makes her story special:
Several films already have explored well the large-scale issues around bee health as it relates to commercial beekeeping [and] the average person now knows how important bees are to our pollination needs [but] there hasn’t been a film that looks at beekeeping in our communities.
The high-action trailer, soundtracked by upbeat punk and reggae tunes, showcases the multi-dimensional NYC bee industry, and the tribulations of their quasi-legal pastime. The film ends with an NYPD raid on a Queens honey farm, “reveal[ing] the sticky nature of New York’s urban beekeeping scene.” The Beekeeper is available now on iTunes and will screen at Anthology Film Archives on August 20th.
