More Than Honey - Review
Review by Rob Carnevale
IT’S an increasingly well known fact that bees are disappearing. What may not be as widely known, or appreciated, is just how invaluable these tiny creatures are for the world.
One in three mouthfuls of the food we eat, for instance, is dependent on pollination, while Einstein has been quoted as saying that if bees ever do properly disappear then mankind will follow within four years.
In Europe, China and America, bees need human administered drugs to survive. Even then, they don’t necessarily flourish.
So, what is causing their disappearance? Markus Imhoof’s documentary More Than Honey poses that question and digs up some answers.
It’s a slow-burning but intelligent examination of the topic that should be seen by anyone with a concern for future world prospects, just as similarly socially aware documentaries such as End Of The Line and Countdown To Zero were.
If Imhoof’s film ultimately raises more questions than it answers, it’s nevertheless not without hope. Australia, for instance, is the one continent where bees are flourishing and African bees (or killer bees) that were bred in Brazil and have since made their way to the US display more survival instincts than most of their counterparts (despite posing a threat to us).
The film is also packed with fascinating insights into the bee and honey industry across four continents and how it has become big business. It’s also rife with little known facts that may dazzle and amaze, lending to an increased appreciation of the bees at its centre.
For that reason alone, Imhoof’s mission is effectively achieved, especially when capturing the flight of bees via the latest technology.
More Than Honey is therefore enjoyable and educational… but it does carry an important sting.
Watch the trailer:
Running time: 95mins
UK Release Date: September 6, 2013