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The Secret Life of Bees (film) facts for kids

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The Secret Life of Bees
Secret life of bees.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Produced by
Screenplay by Gina Prince-Bythewood
Starring
Music by Mark Isham
Cinematography Rogier Stoffers
Editing by Terilyn A. Shropshire
Studio
  • Overbrook Entertainment
  • The Donners' Company
Distributed by Fox Searchlight Pictures
Release date(s) October 17, 2008 (2008-10-17) (United States)
December 5, 2008 (2008-12-05) (United Kingdom)
Running time 110 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $11 million
Money made $40 million

The Secret Life of Bees is a heartwarming American drama film from 2008. It is based on the popular 2001 novel of the same name by Sue Monk Kidd. The movie features a talented cast, including Queen Latifah, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys, Sophie Okonedo, and Paul Bettany. Gina Prince-Bythewood wrote and directed the film. It was produced by Lauren Shuler Donner and Will Smith.

The film is especially known for Queen Latifah's amazing performance as August Boatwright. The Secret Life of Bees was first shown in the United States on October 17, 2008. It later came out in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2008.

About the Film

This movie tells a powerful story about finding family and belonging. It explores themes of love, forgiveness, and discovering your true self. The film is set during an important time in American history.

The Story of Lily Owens

The film's main character is a young girl named Lily Owens. She is searching for answers about her past and a place to call home.

A Difficult Start

The story begins in 1964 in South Carolina. Lily Owens, who is almost 14, lives on a peach farm. Her father, T. Ray, is often unkind to her. When Lily was four years old, a very sad accident involving her mother, Deborah, happened. Her mother was trying to leave T. Ray at the time.

As her 14th birthday nears, Lily celebrates the signing of the Civil Rights Act. She celebrates with Rosaleen, who works for her father. One night, Lily secretly goes to the orchard. She has buried special items there that belonged to her mother. One item has the words “Black Madonna Honey, Tiburon, SC” on it. Lily is caught by T. Ray and punished in a harsh way.

A Journey to Tiburon

On her birthday, Rosaleen takes Lily to town. Rosaleen also plans to register to vote. This was a new right for many African Americans at the time. In town, they meet a group of people who are unkind to Rosaleen because of her race. They hurt her, and she is arrested. T. Ray takes Lily home, but she runs away. She helps Rosaleen escape from the hospital, where she was being treated. They decide to go to Tiburon, hoping to learn more about Lily's mother.

Finding a New Family

After two days, Lily and Rosaleen arrive in Tiburon. They find the home of August Boatwright and her sisters, May and June. August is a successful beekeeper and runs a honey business. Even though Lily tells some made-up stories about herself and Rosaleen, August welcomes them. June is a bit suspicious at first. August offers them a place to stay in exchange for their help with chores.

Lily starts learning about beekeeping from August. She also discovers May's "wailing wall." This wall is filled with notes about things that have upset May. Lily also learns about a special group of women. They pray to a life-sized statue of a Black Madonna in the Boatwrights' living room for guidance.

Facing Challenges and Discovering Truth

Over time, Lily becomes close to Zach. He is a teenager who helps August with the bees. Lily and Zach go to a movie together. They sit in the "colored" section, which was against the rules of segregation at the time. Because of this, Zach is taken away by some people from town. June and August try to keep this news from May. However, Zach's mother accidentally tells her. May becomes overwhelmed with sadness and passed away. In her note, she predicted Zach would return alive. The next day, Zach does return safely.

May's funeral brings some healing and truth. June agrees to marry her longtime boyfriend, Neil. Rosaleen is asked to become a part of the Boatwright family. August tells Lily more about her mother, Deborah. August had known Deborah since she was a child. She had also helped Deborah when she was having a difficult time with T. Ray.

Lily's father, T. Ray, found her. He wanted her to come home, but Lily had found a new, loving family with the Boatwrights. She learned the truth about her mother, and T. Ray eventually agreed to let her stay with the Boatwright sisters, where she felt truly loved and safe.

Meet the Characters

Here are the main actors and the characters they play in the film:

Making the Movie

The making of The Secret Life of Bees began on January 7, 2008. Filming took place in Lumberton and Watha, North Carolina. The movie was shown at the 33rd Annual Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008. It was released in theaters on October 17, 2008.

The Film's Music

The original music for The Secret Life of Bees was created by Mark Isham. The movie also features many other wonderful songs:

The full collection of these songs was not released as a separate soundtrack album.

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