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Silence of the Bees

Tiny animal. Big Mystery.

Imagine a city of millions silenced overnight. In early 2007, mass disappearances occurred across the United States as millions of honeybees suddenly vanished, leaving behind empty hives and stunned beekeepers. With the growing concern came a newfound awareness of the importance of the honeybee, a fascinating and complex creature responsible for pollinating a third of our food supply.

SILENCE OF THE BEES takes viewers inside the hive and to the frontlines of a critical investigation, from crop fields to laboratories in the U.S., China, Australia, and across Western Europe. Winner of the 2007 PEABODY AWARD, SILENCE OF THE BEES combines stunning macro cinematography and natural history with a riveting whodunit mystery, raising important questions about our relationship with the planet. Humans have never lived without honeybees. Could we survive without them? Join the urgent race to make sure we never have to find out.

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Written, Produced and Directed by
Doug Shultz
Editor
Mark Fason
Director of Photography
Peter Schnall

Supervising Producer
Peter Schnall
Coordinating Producer
Whitney Johnson
Original Music
Gary Pozner
Narrator
F. Murray Abraham
Additional Cinematography
Daniel Traub
Jerry Risius
Mark Lamble
Additional Editor
Craig Rinkerman
Production Assistants
Amber Freiwald
Peggy Leggat
Sound Recordists
Paul Alfe, Carlos Luis Daniel
John Murphy, Olivier Sifre
Patrick Tillman, Robert Sylvain
Mark Wellman, Chris West
Merce Williams
Location Managers
Sandrine Dumas, Froggie Productions, France
Lu Bo, China
Roland Palugod, Camino Media, Spain
Phantom Technician
Gregory Wilson
Assistant Editor
Alexandra Meistrell
Sound Design & Mix
Brian Beatrice
Color Correction
Sandy Patch
Animation
Phlesch Bubble, Inc.
Special Thanks
County of HanYuan, China
CENYC Green Market
Eric Coolidge
Han Yuan TV
Maggie Miller
Olympus America, Inc.
Palais Garnier
Regents Park London
Whole Foods Market



—For Nature—
Series Editor
Janet Hess
Series Producer
Bill Murphy
Executive Producer
Fred Kaufman
New York Times, October 27,2007
“Silence of the Bees is an enlightening and emotionally exhausting “Nature” report..."
2007 GEORGE FOSTER PEABODY AWARD
Winner
2007 News & Documentary EMMY AWARD nomimations:
Best Writing, Best Cinematography, Best Research, Best Editing
2008 Wild Talk Africa Roscar Award
Winner, Best Script
2008 Telly Awards
Silver Winner in TV Nature/Wildddfe
Bronze Winner in TV Copywriting
Bronze Winner in TV Cinematography
2008 U.S. International Film and Video Festival
Silver Screen Award in Nature, Wildddfe
Silver Screen Award in Environmental Issues & Concerns
Silver Screen Award in Writing, Concept
Certificate for Creative Excellence in Cinematography
2008 International Wildlife Film Festival
Merit Award for Script
Merit Award for Scientific Content
Merit Award for Graphics & Animation
2009 New York Television Broadcasting Festival
Winner Nature & Wildlife
2008 Banff World Television Festival
Environmental Programs Hors Concours
2008 National Press Club Ann Cottrell Free Animal Reporting Award
Broadcast Category: Honorable Mention (2nd Place)
2008 Ektopfilm
Winner Sustainable Development Film
2007 Genesis Awards
Commendation
2008 Bird and Nature Film Festival (Festival de l'Oiseau et de la Nature)
Official Selection
2008 Greendance Film Festival
Official Selection