20,000 especies de abejas: Spanish drama starring award-winning newcomer Sofía Otero in the role of an eight-year-old child in search of her own gender identi20,000 species of bees
20,000 especies de abejas: Spanish drama that follows award-winning newcomer Sofía Otero in the role of an eight-year-old child in search of her own gender identity.
Plot and background
The summer holidays are coming up and the family needs some time off. Mother of three Ane (Patricia López Arnaiz) travels with the children to the Basque country to visit her mother Lita (Itziar Lazkano) and aunt Lourdes (Ane Gabarain) on their bee farm. Especially for the youngest child, this holiday becomes seminal: as Aitor (Sofía Otero), the 8-year-old child was born a boy, but uneasiness always arises in him when he is called by his birth name. The nickname Cocó feels better, but not perfect.
In the small village where the grandmother lives, the neighbourhood children meet and always call each other by their first names. Once Cocó has arrived in such an environment, a crisis of meaning begins. The further the holidays progress, the more Cocó no longer sees himself as a boy, but as a girl – an exciting and emotional identity crisis that will soon turn the lives of Cocó and the relatives upside down. Generational conflict is pre-programmed here, in the midst of a tentative approach to one’s own identity in childhood.
“20,000 Species of Bees” – background, cast, theatrical release
With this sensitive family drama about a little trans girl, director and screenwriter Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren succeeded in creating a closely observed debut work that tackles the complex issue of childhood identity crisis and acceptance across different generations.
The drama “20,000 Species of Bees” premiered in competition at the Berlinale 2023. Nine-year-old actress Sofía Otero became the youngest performer in the 73-year history of the film festival on the Spree to win the Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance.
On 29 June 2023 – at the end of Pride Month – “20,000 Kinds of Bees” will be released in German cinemas.
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Plot and background
The summer holidays are coming up and the family needs some time off. Mother of three Ane (Patricia López Arnaiz) travels with the children to the Basque country to visit her mother Lita (Itziar Lazkano) and aunt Lourdes (Ane Gabarain) on their bee farm. Especially for the youngest child, this holiday becomes seminal: as Aitor (Sofía Otero), the 8-year-old child was born a boy, but uneasiness always arises in him when he is called by his birth name. The nickname Cocó feels better, but not perfect.
In the small village where the grandmother lives, the neighbourhood children meet and always call each other by their first names. Once Cocó has arrived in such an environment, a crisis of meaning begins. The further the holidays progress, the more Cocó no longer sees himself as a boy, but as a girl – an exciting and emotional identity crisis that will soon turn the lives of Cocó and the relatives upside down. Generational conflict is pre-programmed here, in the midst of a tentative approach to one’s own identity in childhood.
“20,000 Species of Bees” – background, cast, theatrical release
With this sensitive family drama about a little trans girl, director and screenwriter Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren succeeded in creating a closely observed debut work that tackles the complex issue of childhood identity crisis and acceptance across different generations.
The drama “20,000 Species of Bees” premiered in competition at the Berlinale 2023. Nine-year-old actress Sofía Otero became the youngest performer in the 73-year history of the film festival on the Spree to win the Silver Bear for Best Acting Performance.
On 29 June 2023 – at the end of Pride Month – “20,000 Kinds of Bees” will be released in German cinemas.
