Rewilding Honeybees, a short documentary by Cameron Nielsen has won First Place in the Environmental category at the 20th Annual MY HERO International Film Festival. The film details the work of Michael Thiele, an innovative conservationist finding more sustainable environments for bees, allowing them not only to survive but thrive.
Taken from 'Rewilding Honeybees,' by Cameron NielsenA colony of bees nest inside one of Michael Thiele's innovative log hives.
Cameron Nielsen has worked in film, specifically documentaries, for nearly eight years. One of his works about the increasing number of deaths of Pacific grey whales, Washed Ashore, was published by the LA Times as part of their Short Docs series. Nielsen is currently a cinematographer and editor for Oregon Public Broadcasting, where he focuses on producing media about both the environment and art in the Pacific Northwest. “Films are a powerful medium for revoking empathy,” he told MY HERO, adding, “telling important stories through this medium can bring awareness to the environmental and social struggles of our time.”
One of the environmental issues we currently face is the decline in populations of bees and other pollinating insects. Over recent years, three species of bumblebee have become extinct and a tenth of the remaining wild bee species face imminent extinction if not protected.[1] A huge factor contributing to the dwindling bee populations is human behaviour; farming, the use of pesticides, climate change, and urbanisation have all impacted the bees’ survival.[2] In man-managed bee colonies, kept in hives, between forty and fifty percent of the colony typically die each year; a pattern not observed in wild colonies. Rewilding Honeybees not only highlights these issues, but Michael Thiele’s efforts to find potential solutions to them. After years of research, Thiele found that ‘rewilding,’ in which keepers build nests which allow bees to engage in their typical behaviour, is the best way to prevent the huge annual loss that many beekeepers face.
Taken from 'Rewilding Honeybees,' by Cameron NielsenThiele checks on one of the log hives that he installed.
Nielsen first met Thiele whilst working on his thesis in senior year of high school. After settling on beekeeping as his chosen subject, Nielsen reached out to Thiele as he happened to live in the same town and Thiele agreed to mentor him. On his experience with Thiele, Nielsen explained to MY HERO:
It was a complete joy. Michael is one of the sweetest and most thoughtful people that I've ever met. […] Michael Thiele is a pioneer in the honeybee world, rethinking our relationship with the creature in a way that is more conducive to their life rather than the extractive nature that is very common. […] His way of thinking about the world in deep empathy for honeybees and their place in the ecosystem [is what inspired me most about him].
Nielsen was so inspired throughout his mentorship that years later, when Nielsen first began creating films, he decided to highlight Thiele’s work. “I care deeply about the natural world and feel the importance of giving voice to creatures that are often go under the radar,” Nielsen said, adding, “One of the strengths of this film is the passion that Michael has for the honeybees. I think others can empathize with the small creature that we don't often think much about because of his passion.”
Taken from 'Rewilding Honeybees,' by Cameron NielsenMichael Thiele captured with a honeybee from one of his colonies resting on the tip of his finger.
You can watch Rewilding Honeybees here.
About Michael Thiele and Apis Arborea
Pioneering conservationist Michael Thiele has dedicated much of his career to saving the bees, finding new and innovative methods in beekeeping to combat the decreasing populations of various honeybee species. He has lectured at both Harvard and NYU, acted as a consultant for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and his work has been featured in books, articles, and films across the globe.[3]
Thiele founded Apis Arborea in 2017, a non-profit organization dedicated to the restoration and conservation of bees, research into the habits of bees in the wild, and education for those looking to implement Thiele’s methods and rewild bees.
Explore the Apis Arborea site and find out more about the ways you can support, here.
About the MY HERO International Film Festival
The My Hero Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing films that celebrate the power of the human spirit. The festival provides a platform for filmmakers to share inspirational stories of everyday heroes. Thanks to generous sponsors, prizes are awarded to elementary, middle school, high school, college and professionals in a variety of categories including documentary, narrative, music video, animation, experimental, and more.
The festival aims to inspire audiences to recognize the heroism in their own lives and encourage positive actions in their communities. Learn more.
Join us in celebrating 20 years of The MY HERO International Film Festival on November 16, 6pm @ the Ann and Jerry Moss Theater at New Roads School in Santa Monica, California. Find out more HERE.
[1] The Wildlife Trusts. Bees and Pollinators. [Online] Available https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/savingbees. 2024.
[2] Ibid.
Page created on 11/10/2024 3:15:13 PM
Last edited 11/20/2024 4:39:07 PM
