SECTIONS // OFFICIAL COMPETITION SHORT LENGTH

Pien de Bijenkoningin (Pien, Queen of the Bees)

Ellen Vloet
16' / 2015 / Netherlands
Web: https://eenvandejongens.nl/projecten/pien-de-bijenkoningin/
Dutch
English and spanish subtitled

Audience vote 6.18

Since ten-year-old Pien was told that bees are under threat of extinction, she has found her goal in life: saving the bees. Together with her friend Bouwe she comes up with plans and actions to stop the bees from dying out. She has set up some hives in the back yard and dreams of a visit to the field of rape seed that is the bees’ paradise in terms of nectar. This coming spring she would love to take her bees there, so they can do what they do best. While Pien is focused on saving the bees’ lives, she is also fighting for her own. She’s being treated for bone cancer that’s why she has to go to the hospital a lot. A horrible place, she thinks. Especially since she is not allowed to go outdoors. Luckily the doctors have good hope. So will Pien succeed in getting to her field of dreams regardless?

Main Festivals & Awards

Cinekid, 2015

Director's Biography

Ellen Vloet (1982) studied Film Studies at the University of Amsterdam and Hofstra University (New York). In 2012 she directed her first documentary FLORENTIJN HOFMAN: LARGER THAN LIFE, about sculpure artist Florentijn Hofman. This film premiered in 2013 at the Netherlands Film Festival and was broadcast by AVRO (NL) and VRT (BE). After LITTLE MISS PIGGY and TOUGH COOKIES, PIEN QUEEN OF THE BEES is her third youth documentary.