Silence of the Bees is a thought provoking, emotionally charged film. It's beautifully written and the characters are very strong and real. Jim Beaver and Sharon Garnier did an excellent job portraying the intense relationship between a father and daughter struggling to know each other and come to terms with their own life choices. It made me reexamine my own relationship with my father. Also you have to give the filmmakers a lot of credit for making a film of this quality with little money. From what I know about the making of it, they were able to utilize great talent because of close friendships which says a lot about the cast and crew. These folks really believe in this project. A tour DE force, haunting and unforgettable. I can't wait for the full length film. I'd recommend the Silence of the Bees to everyone.
119 Reviews
Powerfully dramatic in an artful way.
pmremmele25 October 2008
Silence of Bees is a powerful short film that packs an emotional wallop through the performances of the two leads. As I watched the film, I couldn't help but be reminded of the universal struggle between parents and their children. Sharon Garnier is raw and completely open on the screen. Jim Beaver's sardonic portrayal of an alcoholic writer is both an archetype and uniquely individual. The camera work and the editing are flawless. This is real gem of a film. No tricks, no artifice, just pure cinema in an old fashion sense. This film is a testimonial to the idea that simple, pure and profound emotions ultimately have more impact than superficial, contrived plot devices. It deserves to be seen.
Great Short Film!
lovely_lyss21 May 2012
The preview clip somewhat does pull me into the picture. As I watched the preview, I felt like I could see what was happening in the time before the preview and I wanted to know what was going to happen after it ended.
The Actors: Jim Beaver is a stage, film, television actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film historian. He is perhaps most familiar to worldwide audiences as 'Ellsworth'... the gruff, tenderhearted prospector in the HBO series Deadwood. This role won him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
Sharon Garnier appears in a wide range of television and film projects, including HBO's Deadwood and WB's Jack & Bobby. Her primary work is in the realm of independent film and theatre. Sharon's recent film portrayal as Alex McKenzie in the independent short film The Silence of Bees found attention in several international film festivals.
The Writers: Joanna Perry-Folino, Screenwriter and Producer Joanna is the Executive Producer of Into The Fire Film and Theatrical Productions, LLC. She is a playwright, screenwriter, librettist as well as a producer. Her short film, The Silence of Bees, (based on the prologue to her stage play of the same title) won the prestigious Accolade Film Award in 2008, an Aloha Accolade from the Honolulu International Film Festival in 2009 and was screened at the Southeast New England Film Festival, The Kodak Screening Room in Los Angeles by Women in Film in April 2009, at the Urban Suburban Film Festival in Philadelphia and The Naperville Independent Film Festival in Illinois where it is an Official Selection. Also the producer of the film!
The Director: Andrew J. Traister's recent production of Waiting For Godot at A Noise Within in Glendale, California, was chosen as a Los Angeles Times Critics Choice. Andrew directed The Actors Playpen's inaugural productions of Lolita and Road To Nirvana in Hollywood. He has directed at The Old Globe Theatre, Alaska Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Tacoma Actors Guild, Geva Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, San Diego Repertory Theatre and many more companies across the country.
I liked: The location; the location was really pretty and gave a different spin on the film. The actors/actresses; super into their rolls, felt like they were their character & the relationship between them was great. It was a good short film & I do not have anything really to say negatively.
The Actors: Jim Beaver is a stage, film, television actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film historian. He is perhaps most familiar to worldwide audiences as 'Ellsworth'... the gruff, tenderhearted prospector in the HBO series Deadwood. This role won him a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination.
Sharon Garnier appears in a wide range of television and film projects, including HBO's Deadwood and WB's Jack & Bobby. Her primary work is in the realm of independent film and theatre. Sharon's recent film portrayal as Alex McKenzie in the independent short film The Silence of Bees found attention in several international film festivals.
The Writers: Joanna Perry-Folino, Screenwriter and Producer Joanna is the Executive Producer of Into The Fire Film and Theatrical Productions, LLC. She is a playwright, screenwriter, librettist as well as a producer. Her short film, The Silence of Bees, (based on the prologue to her stage play of the same title) won the prestigious Accolade Film Award in 2008, an Aloha Accolade from the Honolulu International Film Festival in 2009 and was screened at the Southeast New England Film Festival, The Kodak Screening Room in Los Angeles by Women in Film in April 2009, at the Urban Suburban Film Festival in Philadelphia and The Naperville Independent Film Festival in Illinois where it is an Official Selection. Also the producer of the film!
The Director: Andrew J. Traister's recent production of Waiting For Godot at A Noise Within in Glendale, California, was chosen as a Los Angeles Times Critics Choice. Andrew directed The Actors Playpen's inaugural productions of Lolita and Road To Nirvana in Hollywood. He has directed at The Old Globe Theatre, Alaska Repertory Theatre, Arizona Theatre Company, Actors Theatre of Phoenix, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Intiman Theatre, Tacoma Actors Guild, Geva Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, San Diego Repertory Theatre and many more companies across the country.
I liked: The location; the location was really pretty and gave a different spin on the film. The actors/actresses; super into their rolls, felt like they were their character & the relationship between them was great. It was a good short film & I do not have anything really to say negatively.
Review of film
jannelmachado5 December 2011
The Silence of Bees is a short, 17 minute film that successfully portrays the movies plot and storyline. Being a short movie, The Silence of Bees gets right to the point and does an okay job at including everything the audience wants to see. For me, the movie consisted of many good characteristics, but with the good comes bad. On the other hand, the only negative thing I can think of would be choice of music. The music used for scenes didn't match up to what I was expecting to hear. Overall, I enjoyed this short film and its way of fulfilling many aspects in a short amount of time. I am glad I was able to see this movie through the drama course I am in, because if it wasn't for the class I would have never seen this.
The Silence of Bees worth watching
cathy_colt22 May 2012
The Silence of Bees was a great short film. Jim Beaver and Sharon Garnier did a great job capturing the emotion of a troubled father/daughter relationship. It was clear that they didn't know or understand each other very well. Father/daughter relationships can be so complicated and if not portrayed properly can come across as fake and over acted, but that's not the case here.
I do wish the movie could have been longer. I found myself wanting more backstory about Alex's mom and in her past and present relationships. I wanted to know more about Parker and what made him the way he was. I want to know what the relationship was like between Alex and her dad before her mom went away.
I love the story about how this movie was made. The budget was small and the actors did the movie as favors of the directors. They loved the script and wanted to be a part of the film.
I do wish the movie could have been longer. I found myself wanting more backstory about Alex's mom and in her past and present relationships. I wanted to know more about Parker and what made him the way he was. I want to know what the relationship was like between Alex and her dad before her mom went away.
I love the story about how this movie was made. The budget was small and the actors did the movie as favors of the directors. They loved the script and wanted to be a part of the film.
Review
imbored200221 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The Silence of Bees is an emotionally charged film that almost anyone can relate to when it comes to the struggle between parents and their children throughout life. The characters had a lot of depth and Sharon and Jim really brought them to life. The film has wonderful sound and the cinematography was fantastic, you could tell at every angel how the characters were feeling and the use of close-ups', and medium shots were great. The music was fitting for the film and on point. The only thing I didn't care for were the shots with low lighting, it made things hard to see at times. Other than that the film was great and I would recommend it to watch.
Excellent Short Film!
hero_298411 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I enjoyed the film overall! I think it was very strong in terms of grabbing the audience's attention and pulling us in to an emotional scene that many of us could relate to. After viewing the film and comparing it to the script, I personally felt one of the weaknesses was the acting. I personally did not feel that drawn to the characters' portrayal of the emotional tension between Alex and Parker. In the script, the emotions and tone, such as sarcasm and bitterness, can easily be identified; however in the film at certain parts, I felt that Garnier's portrayal was too artificial or maybe showing a little too much emotion to be equated to how a real person would conduct themselves in this situation. I do not mean to insult the actress, but I feel that portrayal could have been better. I felt that Parker's character was pretty spot on to what I had imagined after reading the script. On the positive side, I do think that setting and the music were very effective for creating the right atmosphere during the various parts of their conversation. Also, I thought that the script was well written and the film was shot effectively; it allowed the audience to grasp only bits and pieces of the father-daughter relationship and history which ultimately allowed us to make up our own opinions about their choices and perspectives.
A touching film
sfgiant573 November 2008
The Silence of Bees was a wonderful and emotional short film. It was a more realistic look at a father and daughter's relationship. Nothing cliché or overly done like many movies today. Jim Beaver and Sharon Garnier brought out the best in their characters. Though the acting was the most important part of this drama, all the other pieces of the film were executed just as well despite some minor things. Some of the shots taken felt unnecessary, specifically a couple of the closeup shots. Again, minor things that do not take away from the power of the film. The sound and music set the mood very well. A film worth seeing. I expect the full length film to be just as good.
Silence of Bees Review
candyamaldonado5 December 2015
Who knew there was so much to be said about the silence of bees. However, in itself that statement says a lot about silent and subtle pain both literally and metaphorically. The Silence of Bees follows Parker Lam and Alex McKenzie. A father and his daughter on the mend from daily struggles and a family's history. Alex is leaving her father's residence in Barbados to return to her career as a nurse in Flint, Michigan. The loss of her mother, her broken family, and choice to run away from her father's bestowed destiny has led her to this place. The two of them have unspoken words despite the unbroken bond the two of them share for one another. The dialogue between the two characters is direct and contains a lot of subtext exposed through references of past events that still linger. After watching the film, something about it seems off, but I can't put my finger on it. I think it's a combination of acting technique and editing. However, where the film is weak in some areas it is strong in others. I think at the end of the day the script was well written and could be executed in a more convincing and compelling way so the characters and story really resonate with the audience. I was surprised to find that the two actors had appeared on the same series in the past and may have possibly worked together because the comfort level between the character's relationship didn't really translate. In addition to writing, I really enjoyed the cinematography and filming of The Silence of Bees. I liked the images and back story created by different close ups of Alex and long shots of the Caribbean. Overall, I really liked The Silence of Bees and appreciated the approach this particular group of collaborators chose.
Silence of the Bees Review
boxeocampeon8 December 2012
Silence of the Bees is a great short film. It does not need to special effects and extensive scenery to get the message across. A film about a father and his daughter. He is a writer and she is a nurse. Their passions are completely different but their love for each other is mutual. The emotion displayed in the characters and the simple cinematography is very effective in getting the intended message across. Everyone should take the short time to watch this film and it will help you understand what it is truly like to be a writer and what it takes. You may have to watch it twice to understand the intended message but that is what makes the film great. It takes understanding and some thought to understand the intended message of the film
A great short film
jvt49 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
The Silence of the Bees is an interesting short film that gives the audience the question about mortality, and the ideas behind dreams and the definition of satisfaction. Sharon Garnier portrays Alex McKenzie, a nurse who is taking care of her father Parker Lam (Portrayed by Jim Beaver). Parker is an unsuccessful author who is living in Barbados. He continues to write, despite his failing age, and in his weakened state he wishes his daughter to continue the mantle of writing in his stead. She does not find an interest in writing as it does not give her the immediate satisfaction that a nurse's paycheck does. Despite her qualms about writing, nursing in reality requires more patience and vitality than most other jobs. To care for one's artistic work, is at times similar to how one cares for another's life. The film ends itself on an ambiguous note, with Parker's beer spilled on the floor. The audience assumes he had died from the previous bee sting, but it may also be possible that he had just accidentally dropped his stuff. The final scene shows the mortality of human beings, as the audience believes that Parker is dead, but the ambiguity of the scene prevents us from knowing for sure. The film is interesting, and while short gives us various ideas and morals to think about. Overall, i would give the short film, "The Silence of Bees", a Solid 8.
Captures the relationship between a stubborn father and daughter
capplegatewilliams3 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The Silence of Bees does a fantastic job portraying the often times rocky and frustrating relationship between a parent and child. Considering it is a short film, the characters go on an emotional journey together and many viewers will be able to connect with the characters on this level. Both actors leave the viewer with a memorable performance, and leave you wanting to know how the story of their tumultuous relationship ends. The screenplay is very well done, and I would recommend this short film to anyone who wants to be moved. It left me remembering that life is short and wanting to tell my own parents how much I love them.
Thoughts
krystalyna4154 December 2011
Warning: Spoilers
The Silence of Bees started off OK with the showing of the time setting, but I didn't think the lighting of the sun setting and the next close up shot of the leaves and a bee went together. The shot with the bee looked much brighter than it should have.
Sharon Garnier plays a perfect Alex because she has the right uptight look and conflicting emotions between Alex's father, Parker, played by Jim Beaver, who also played his character well. The father-daughter relationship seemed very real. In the beginning, Alex seems like she no longer cares to be living with her father and responds to her father's questions in a tight way, but towards the end, she begins to feel more appreciated and loved by her father.
Because this was a very short film (17 minutes), I felt it left me with many unanswered questions, but I also believe there was enough depth to the two characters that made the film watchable and not boring.
Sharon Garnier plays a perfect Alex because she has the right uptight look and conflicting emotions between Alex's father, Parker, played by Jim Beaver, who also played his character well. The father-daughter relationship seemed very real. In the beginning, Alex seems like she no longer cares to be living with her father and responds to her father's questions in a tight way, but towards the end, she begins to feel more appreciated and loved by her father.
Because this was a very short film (17 minutes), I felt it left me with many unanswered questions, but I also believe there was enough depth to the two characters that made the film watchable and not boring.
Good camera work but awkward acting
meganbreannamurray12 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
One of the biggest weaknesses of the film, for me, was the acting . Sharon Garnier, who played Alex, seemed too rehearsed for the scene, and when she "blew up" at her father, it seemed sudden and overblown. It was like turning a perfectly calm conversation into an unnecessary fight. I felt like she wasn't really listening to Jim Beaver, who portrayed her father Parker, in the scene. He was mostly very subdued with his acting, which I believed worked for his character, but Sharon would react by raising her voice and flailing about as if he had done the same thing. She escalated an awkward conversation into a fight without any real reason. It just suddenly happened. It's like they were acting for two completely different versions of the film: Beaver showed a more awkward, laid-back version of their disagreement, while Garnier frequently attempted to elevate the scene to a more dramatic conflict. It was strange and didn't work for me.
I believe one of the film's strengths was the camera work. I enjoyed the lingering close-ups, especially on Jim Beaver as Parker, as they always revealed the hidden or private thoughts of the characters. I watched in fascination as different emotions flitted across Beaver's or Garnier's faces, and the close-ups gave the film an awkward intimacy reflected in the relationship between the father and daughter duo. I also liked the over-the-shoulder shot from early in the film, giving us a view of Parker through the kitchen window. This shot perfectly conveyed the emotional distance between Parker and Alex; they close and yet still so far from each other. The final shot of the rum bottle on the floor was also interesting to me, as it could potentially have many different interpretations. Has Parker given up his excessive drinking because of the possibility of a renewed relationship with his daughter? Is Parker doomed to die because of his alcoholism? This final shot is also interesting because it's not included in the original screenplay and was instead added by the director.
Overall, I enjoyed the /idea/ of the film, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed the film itself. The way the actors' moods clashed really brought me out of the film instead of pulling me in.
I believe one of the film's strengths was the camera work. I enjoyed the lingering close-ups, especially on Jim Beaver as Parker, as they always revealed the hidden or private thoughts of the characters. I watched in fascination as different emotions flitted across Beaver's or Garnier's faces, and the close-ups gave the film an awkward intimacy reflected in the relationship between the father and daughter duo. I also liked the over-the-shoulder shot from early in the film, giving us a view of Parker through the kitchen window. This shot perfectly conveyed the emotional distance between Parker and Alex; they close and yet still so far from each other. The final shot of the rum bottle on the floor was also interesting to me, as it could potentially have many different interpretations. Has Parker given up his excessive drinking because of the possibility of a renewed relationship with his daughter? Is Parker doomed to die because of his alcoholism? This final shot is also interesting because it's not included in the original screenplay and was instead added by the director.
Overall, I enjoyed the /idea/ of the film, but I wouldn't say I enjoyed the film itself. The way the actors' moods clashed really brought me out of the film instead of pulling me in.
The Silence of Bees (2008)
zepolsirhc8 December 2012
Warning: Spoilers
"The Silence of Bees" is a extremely emotional short film. The father-daughter relationship that was portrayed seemed very realistic in nature. The cinematography was exceptionally done with great attention to detail. Every shot was done perfectly and it fully captured every mood and element of each and every actor. I really enjoyed watching this film. The only thing I would have to say that I did not like was the way in which Sharon Garnier expressed her motions. The facial expression she used were not in accordance with how she was acting. I would definitely recommend this film for others to watch and enjoy. I give this short film a thumbs up without a doubt.
An Emotional film with just one issue
xshadowadamx20 May 2012
This movie was interesting, the opening was really neat. The music reminded me of a game I used to play, Final Fantasy X. The close up on the bee's was really nice. The rest of the movie looked like a Soap Opera to me. I'm not a fan of those at all, they don't really grab my interest that well. This movie though had a great emotional impact on me. My dad and I don't get along that well just like Alex and her father doesn't get along. The camera angles and shots really really great, they added to the drama of the movie. The sounds were right on with the sound levels. They weren't overpowering the voice acting, same goes with the music. The only things that drove me crazy was acting of Sharon Garnier, who played Alex. It was terrible to me. She reminds me of Kristen Stewart, the actress who shows no emotions. Also on some parts she just randomly tries to act too hard. The acting of Jim Beaver, who played Parker was great though. He made you feel bad of how he is losing his daughter. He was the key of this emotional film.
Strengths - Camera views, Sounds, music, and emotional impact are all great strengths in this film.
Weaknesses - The acting of Sharon Garnier was terrible to me. She seemed dull at some moments and then others seems like she was acting too much. One camera part that I didn't like was when she was bringing the soup to her dad, where it panned with her.
Strengths - Camera views, Sounds, music, and emotional impact are all great strengths in this film.
Weaknesses - The acting of Sharon Garnier was terrible to me. She seemed dull at some moments and then others seems like she was acting too much. One camera part that I didn't like was when she was bringing the soup to her dad, where it panned with her.
great movie! (spoiler alert )
marilyn-a-moreno20 May 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Overall, I really enjoyed the film of Silence of the Bees. The movie had its ups and downs, but from my perspective it had a lot more positive things than negatives. The opening scenes of the film are very beautiful with the ocean and sun on its way down, hiding at a distance behind clouds. I also think that it was a very intelligent way to demonstrate how time had passed by with the other scene of the ocean and how the horizon had purple and orange rays disappearing.
The character who played the father, Parker, had a very rugged look that complimented the characters attitude and personality, which I believe made the film a lot better. I also really liked that the he looked rough and tough, but in the end demonstrated his sweet and tender side to his daughter. It made the connection between the two characters and their relationship as father and daughter more stronger and a bigger impact on the audience.
What I really didn't enjoy about the film was how Alex McKinzie would explode out of no where! Although, I think that it demonstrates how frustrated she was with writing and her fathers pushing of her to do it and the questions regarding it. I felt that at that point in the film she finally released her feelings about not going in the same way of career as her father. It wasn't so much of a negative, but more like on the fence type of thing that could go both ways.
The last thing that I will say that was a negative part of the film was that it was too short for me and left a lot of things in my mind wondering like whatever happened to them after the film finished. For example, I am not sure if I understood it right, but when they were talking about him dying and that she will try to write again after fifteen years of his death and then the bee stung him, I believe it was like if it was going to die at any point without knowing. I just wanted to know more and how they ended up in the end or if she ever returned to writing!
The character who played the father, Parker, had a very rugged look that complimented the characters attitude and personality, which I believe made the film a lot better. I also really liked that the he looked rough and tough, but in the end demonstrated his sweet and tender side to his daughter. It made the connection between the two characters and their relationship as father and daughter more stronger and a bigger impact on the audience.
What I really didn't enjoy about the film was how Alex McKinzie would explode out of no where! Although, I think that it demonstrates how frustrated she was with writing and her fathers pushing of her to do it and the questions regarding it. I felt that at that point in the film she finally released her feelings about not going in the same way of career as her father. It wasn't so much of a negative, but more like on the fence type of thing that could go both ways.
The last thing that I will say that was a negative part of the film was that it was too short for me and left a lot of things in my mind wondering like whatever happened to them after the film finished. For example, I am not sure if I understood it right, but when they were talking about him dying and that she will try to write again after fifteen years of his death and then the bee stung him, I believe it was like if it was going to die at any point without knowing. I just wanted to know more and how they ended up in the end or if she ever returned to writing!
Great Short Film
jessburton-550-1962618 December 2012
Silence of Bees is a very emotional powerful film that most people could relate to. The director, Andrew J. Traister, does a good job of recreating the screenplay done by Joanna Perry-Folino who created it after having a dream about an old friend she knew whose father was novelist Richard Yates. The viewer is brought into an intimate moment between a grown daughter and her father and the emotional struggle to stay connected to each other. Jim Beaver, who plays the father, does a wonderful job of playing the stubborn father who loves his daughter but has a hard time expressing it. Sharon Garnier, who plays Alex, also does a good job at playing the daughter who has clearing struggled in life. The two of them have an on screen chemistry that has the viewer believing that they are related. The storyline is simple yet complex in its view on what every grown child and parent seems to relate to. Parents do the best they know how and children want to please their parents the best that they know how. The film, as good as it was, could've been made into a longer film to truly capture the audience and connect with the characters more. However, this film is worth watching and the unspoken message is even more powerful than the one spoken.
Great Short Film
BethanyLMadge11 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
I really liked the cinematography in this film. All the shots even the little ones bring depth and complexity to the characters. Example would be Parker typing angrily or the close ups of both Parker and Alex that gives viewers a window into their emotions. All the over the shoulder shots gave a sense of being that person and engaging into the conversation. The slow sad music helped give an atmosphere of the daughter and father who have had a strained relationship. Jim's acting was spot on as a grumpy old man and I liked Sharon's acting because her stoic look gave off the character she was portraying. Some scenes I had a hard time following the dialogue because they'd bring up something I didn't know about. Overall I think it's a great short film that gives the basis of what film students could look up to achieving.
Reviews
renteriacarina3 December 2016
The Silence of Bees was a great short film, it really dug deep into the relationship of a father and a daughter. What I enjoyed about this film were the actors, the pain and non-verbal quest that were being displayed allowed the audience to sympathize and understand the pain that they were going through. However, the lighting of this film was dark and while there was some good depth to the characters the lighting was not doing the setting any justice. Overall, this film was striving to show a deep relationship in a family and they were successful in doing that. I would recommend this short for anyone, but also for someone looking to explore depth in characters.
Silence of Bees
unbelievablylisa5 December 2015
The preview clip does pull you in, it makes you wonder what they're even discussing and the relevance to the story.
The actors are Jim Beaver who plays Parker. He is an American actor who is known for playing in the TV series Supernatural and Deadwood. And the other actress is Sharon Garnier who is also an American actress known for Deadwood and a couple of other TV shows. The fact that she has no photo in her IMDb profile, makes me think she's not so well known.
The writer and executive producer is Joanna Perry-Folino who is a producer, performer, screenwriter and playwright. And also a professor at Los Medanos College.
The director is Andrew Traister who is an actor and director.
Some strengths of the film were how beautiful the cinematography was, especially at the beginning and at the end. They did a great job at capturing the feelings and emotion that the film was trying to show. Another strength was Jim Beaver's performance as Parker. I think he did an amazing job and matched almost exactly as I envisioned in my head Parker's character.
One weakness I think would be some of Sharon Garnier's performance, while she played the part fairly well. I felt that some scenes where there was an emotion to express, she lacked that expression.
The actors are Jim Beaver who plays Parker. He is an American actor who is known for playing in the TV series Supernatural and Deadwood. And the other actress is Sharon Garnier who is also an American actress known for Deadwood and a couple of other TV shows. The fact that she has no photo in her IMDb profile, makes me think she's not so well known.
The writer and executive producer is Joanna Perry-Folino who is a producer, performer, screenwriter and playwright. And also a professor at Los Medanos College.
The director is Andrew Traister who is an actor and director.
Some strengths of the film were how beautiful the cinematography was, especially at the beginning and at the end. They did a great job at capturing the feelings and emotion that the film was trying to show. Another strength was Jim Beaver's performance as Parker. I think he did an amazing job and matched almost exactly as I envisioned in my head Parker's character.
One weakness I think would be some of Sharon Garnier's performance, while she played the part fairly well. I felt that some scenes where there was an emotion to express, she lacked that expression.
Enjoyable Short Film!
heathermoeller9410 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The Silence of Bees directed by Andrew J. Traister and written by Joanna Perry-Folino is a short film dealing with the complexities of the father-daughter relationship. Set on a relaxing Caribbean Island, the atmosphere contrasts their not-so-relaxing relationship. Parker (the father), a writer, struggles to connect with his daughter, Alex, a nurse and previous writer. As the story progresses, we notice similarities between the two: depth, strong-will, and love of writing. We also notice Alex's tendency to shut herself down, not wanting to reveal too much of herself to her father. In reality, they both want the other's love and admiration, revealing tidbits of special moments between the two. The film ends bitter-sweetly, happy that Parker's words to Alex shined light onto their relationship, and sad that Parker had to leave so soon. My favorite aspect of the film was the screenplay because I thought the lines were clever and helped develop the characters well. Overall, I enjoyed it. The characters were complex enough to keep me interested and I was always curious as to how the other aspects of the film would be executed. My main concern with the film was at the end. I didn't fully understand Parker and Alex's last conversation, which took me away from the moment for a bit. I would have also liked to have seen a variety of shots. Besides these minor things, however, I felt connected to the film and found myself joining Parker and Alex's roller coaster ride of emotions.
An okay film that didn't reach its potential
NNelson8915 May 2011
I thought the film was decent, but could have been better. It was slightly uncomfortable to watch the film at first, because of its relative budget constraints compared to the multi-million dollar movies that people are so used to now. It made it seem a little less "smooth" initially, but that wore off as the film found its rhythm.
The acting was also something that seemed to be a little sketchy before it gained its footing. The chemistry between the two was difficult to see at first, and they both seemed to be overacting a little bit, but as the film progressed, they seemed to ease into their roles a little better and drew you deeper in as a result. The Hemingway- ish appearance of Parker was kind of corny, though.
These were all sufficient, but I felt they could have been done better, though that may be just due to the limited budget the filmmakers were working with. One problem I had with the film was how they dealt with Parker's heavily-implied heart attack, and this has to do with the fact that I read the screenplay before viewing the film.
In the screenplay, Parker yelps out that he's been stung and never saw the bee, and he tells his daughter to stay inside, to not worry about it. In the film, he makes the same amount of noise, but Alex comes out and examines his arm, seeing that there is no stinger in his arm. Now, she's a nurse, so wouldn't your father complaining of a sharp pain in his arm with no evidence of a puncture wound kind of lead you to remember that that's one of the signs of an impending heart attack? ESPECIALLY when you've just had a conversation wherein your dad says he's not going to be around forever? If they had followed the screenplay, it would have been fine, but having her actually examine his arm and find no stinger without something in her brain clicking, that's ridiculous.
I also didn't like how they handled the ending. The screenplay has him throw the empty bottle, have his arm slump to his side with the sound of bees rising (directly implying fatal cardiac arrest) before fading out. In the film, he types at his typewriter as the screen fades to black, with his typing slowing to a stop as we see see his bottle pouring out on the ground in slow motion before it cuts to black and the credits roll. I didn't like the ending they shot for the film, I just felt it was corny and not as poetically powerful as the one written in the screenplay.
"The Silence of Bees" was a decently made film with powerful themes, it just didn't figure out a way to execute up to what I considered to be its potential.
The acting was also something that seemed to be a little sketchy before it gained its footing. The chemistry between the two was difficult to see at first, and they both seemed to be overacting a little bit, but as the film progressed, they seemed to ease into their roles a little better and drew you deeper in as a result. The Hemingway- ish appearance of Parker was kind of corny, though.
These were all sufficient, but I felt they could have been done better, though that may be just due to the limited budget the filmmakers were working with. One problem I had with the film was how they dealt with Parker's heavily-implied heart attack, and this has to do with the fact that I read the screenplay before viewing the film.
In the screenplay, Parker yelps out that he's been stung and never saw the bee, and he tells his daughter to stay inside, to not worry about it. In the film, he makes the same amount of noise, but Alex comes out and examines his arm, seeing that there is no stinger in his arm. Now, she's a nurse, so wouldn't your father complaining of a sharp pain in his arm with no evidence of a puncture wound kind of lead you to remember that that's one of the signs of an impending heart attack? ESPECIALLY when you've just had a conversation wherein your dad says he's not going to be around forever? If they had followed the screenplay, it would have been fine, but having her actually examine his arm and find no stinger without something in her brain clicking, that's ridiculous.
I also didn't like how they handled the ending. The screenplay has him throw the empty bottle, have his arm slump to his side with the sound of bees rising (directly implying fatal cardiac arrest) before fading out. In the film, he types at his typewriter as the screen fades to black, with his typing slowing to a stop as we see see his bottle pouring out on the ground in slow motion before it cuts to black and the credits roll. I didn't like the ending they shot for the film, I just felt it was corny and not as poetically powerful as the one written in the screenplay.
"The Silence of Bees" was a decently made film with powerful themes, it just didn't figure out a way to execute up to what I considered to be its potential.
Good story, average film
quickstopemployee-13 April 2009
First, let me start off by saying that this is simply my opinion. Art is completely subjective and what one person likes another may not. Overall, the things that "The Silence of Bees" achieves seem to be overshadowed by the things that I saw wrong with it. Starting with the positive things, the script is solid. The characters, as written, are interesting and, even in the short running time, you grow to care about them. As the audience, we get enough information about them to understand their struggle, but not get overloaded with information. The directing seems secure, but it also feels like there was a miscommunication somewhere between the making of the film and the finished product as the quality of the movie rises and falls.
This is where I start to see problems. The acting in the film seems to be unbalanced. It fluctuates from subtle and more internal in one minute to over dramatic and soap-opera like in the next. This makes it harder to care about the characters in film form because they are all over the place. The moments that feel realistic are nice, it's just unfortunate that these moments are trapped in between moments of melodrama. The cinematography is flat. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but to me it was true. There was nothing in it that made the film feel alive. All of the shots were simple with no variety. It was a close up of Parker, then Alex's close up, then back to Parker's close up...over and over. Nothing popped. The lighting also felt very uninspired. There was no sense of mood setting and this caused the film to feel bland. The setting also felt fake. I'm not sure if it was shot at an actual location or on a sound stage, but it felt like the latter. If this was true then this could explain the lack of interesting camera set ups, but it still doesn't solve the problem.
To sum everything up, "The Silence of Bees" is an good story, but the film execution isn't as good as I hoped. Filmmakers have to be careful with material like this. It feels personal, so the film should feel personal as well.
This is where I start to see problems. The acting in the film seems to be unbalanced. It fluctuates from subtle and more internal in one minute to over dramatic and soap-opera like in the next. This makes it harder to care about the characters in film form because they are all over the place. The moments that feel realistic are nice, it's just unfortunate that these moments are trapped in between moments of melodrama. The cinematography is flat. I'm sorry to put it so bluntly, but to me it was true. There was nothing in it that made the film feel alive. All of the shots were simple with no variety. It was a close up of Parker, then Alex's close up, then back to Parker's close up...over and over. Nothing popped. The lighting also felt very uninspired. There was no sense of mood setting and this caused the film to feel bland. The setting also felt fake. I'm not sure if it was shot at an actual location or on a sound stage, but it felt like the latter. If this was true then this could explain the lack of interesting camera set ups, but it still doesn't solve the problem.
To sum everything up, "The Silence of Bees" is an good story, but the film execution isn't as good as I hoped. Filmmakers have to be careful with material like this. It feels personal, so the film should feel personal as well.
Deep
dacannonz15 May 2015
The Silence of the Bees was a different look for the a movie and but packed with substance for a short film. The trailer already tells the viewer this is an ordinary daughter and pop conversation. This being a short film and having the trailer only being around two minutes long the title of the movie does not come into play during the impressive trail. Upon watching the short film you see a broken bond repaired as each of the two characters use the professions they love to soothe old wounds created to each other. The title comes into play as the Stinging of the bee was the closure and solution between the struggling relationship of father and daughter.
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