20,000 Species of Bees

An eight-year-old struggles with the fact that people keep addressing her in confusing ways. During a summer in the Basque Country among the beehives, she explores her gender identity alongside the women of her family, who reflect on their own lives and desires.

Effortlessly capturing the quotidian, Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren’s striking debut exudes warmth and sensitivity. In a uniformly excellent cast, Sofía Otero shines as the questioning preteen, delivering a star-making performance that won the nine-year-old the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, the youngest winner in the festival’s history.

This film has been rated PG by BC Consumer Protection with an advisory for nudity and coarse language.