Beekeeper

Directed by Keith Griffith III (USA) Mentored by Evan Mascagni

Keith Griffith III, 15, shares the healing power and ecological importance of beekeeping.

In his film, BEEKEEPER, Keith explains the essential role of pollinators in the environment and in food production. He is on a mission to spread the word about the ecologically critical honeybee. Rising temperatures, habitat loss and pesticides have disrupted bees’ ecosystem, threatening their very existence.

Keith explains what bees have taught him: cooperation, community and emotional well-being, lessons he shares in workshops and talks around his hometown, Louisville, Kentucky. Keith began keeping bees about four years ago, when both of his parents were incarcerated. Beekeeping helped him manage the stress of not having his parents at home.

What started as a hobby, encouraged by his beekeeping uncle, soon became a passion. The young entrepreneur also founded Beeing2gether, a company that sells bee-inscribed merch, raw honey and actual hives. He’s even written a book about the benefits of bees, the aptly titled Honey Bees & Beekeeping: A Mental Health Miracle.

Awards for Beekeeper

Screened at Fotografiska New York, 2024

Screened at Fotografiska New York, 2024

Richmond International Film Festival, 2024

Richmond International Film Festival, 2024

Breakthrough Miami, 2024

Breakthrough Miami, 2024

Socially Relevant Film Festival New York, 2024

Socially Relevant Film Festival New York, 2024

More about the Filmmaker

I wanted to make this film because my family and I have a story to tell. As a beekeeper, I’ve learned that honeybees consistently act in social ways that benefit the entire hive—even at the sacrifice of individual gain. They are inherently altruistic, and they are great examples for understanding the significance of symbiotic relationships. Beeing2gether was designed in part to mimic the honeybees’ level of latent inhibition—the ability to ignore unimportant stimuli, saving energy and brain cells for the things that truly matter: family, community, nature and being together

— Keith Griffith III, Filmmaker "BEEKEEPER"

MENTOR: Evan Mascagni

Screening Schedule

Sep 24 - Sep 29
2024

Richmond International Film Festival

Beekeeper

Official Selection

Richmond, VA
Jun 29 - Jun 29
2024

Breakthrough Miami

Beekeeper
Miami, FL
Mar 18 - Mar 18
2024

SR Socially Relevant Film Festival New York

Beekeeper

Official selection

New York, NY
Apr 14 - Apr 14
2024

Fotografiska New York

Beekeeper
New York, NY