The Secret Life of Bees (film)
| The Secret Life of Bees | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Gina Prince-Bythewood |
| Produced by |
Lauren Shuler Donner James Lassiter Will Smith Jada Pinkett Smith (executive) Joe Pichirallo |
| Screenplay by | Gina Prince-Bythewood |
| Based on |
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd |
| Starring |
Dakota Fanning Jennifer Hudson Queen Latifah Alicia Keys Hilarie Burton Sophie Okonedo Paul Bettany |
| Music by | Mark Isham |
| Cinematography | Rogier Stoffers |
| Edited by | Terilyn A. Shropshire |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | Fox Searchlight Pictures |
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Release date
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Running time
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110 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11 million |
| Box office | $39,947,322 |
The Secret Life of Bees is a 2008 American drama film, adapted from the novel of the same name by Sue Monk Kidd. The film was directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and produced by Will Smith, with his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, as executive producer. The film is noted for Queen Latifah's critically acclaimed performance as August Boatwright. The film was released in North America on October 17, 2008, and in the United Kingdom on December 5, 2008.
Set in South Carolina in 1964, this is the tale of Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning), a 14-year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother Deborah Owens (Hilarie Burton). Lily flees with Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), her caregiver and only friend, to a town in South Carolina where she uncovers the secrets to her mother's past. Taken in by Boatwright sisters—August (Queen Latifah), May (Sophie Okonedo), and June (Alicia Keys)—Lily finds comfort in their world of bee keeping and develops a romance with her new friend Zach (Tristan Wilds). She learns about female power, as the Boatwright sisters show her their black Virgin Mary, her mother's past and much more.
The movie begins with Lily having a flashback: her mother is packing, when T-Ray enters the room and grabs her. Frightened, she grabs a gun but it is knocked out of her hands. Lily's mother holds out her hand for Lily to hand her the gun. Then, a gunshot is heard and Lily states that she accidentally killed her mother, while trying to help her when she was young.
In the night, Lily sees many bees in her room and tells her father but T-Ray yells at her to go back to bed. The next night, Lily runs into their peach tree orchard and digs up a box she buried there. The box contains her mother's gloves, a small photograph of her mother, and a flat wood carving of the Black Madonna. She unbuttons the bottom part of her blouse and sets the carving on her stomach. While Lily lies staring at the stars and talking to her mother's spirit, she hears her father calling. He accosts her. As there is no one else, T-Ray takes Lily home.
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