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This isn’t just a film about bees.
It’s a film about our relationship with them — and with life.

To be with the bees is the first feature-length film who show us solutions to help the bees in a natural and respectful way.

A documentary directed by Perrine Bertrand & Yan Grill

duration: 1h3O

Bees are astonishingly intelligent creatures—vital to all life on our planet.
But they’re vanishing... because of human activity.

What if we’re the ones responsible — and also the ones who can change the world?

To Be With The Bees is a journey with natural beekeepers, scientists, and everyday people who are forging a new, respectful relationship with bees.

You’ll discover real, gentle ways to act — and ways to reconnect with life itself.

  • Magnificent and very important for the world!

    Irmela

  • The film is outstanding, deeply moving and confronting. It highlights how respect and stillness shows how the bees are a highly advanced and superior life form.It is a must-watch for everyone

    Ronnie

  • “Incredible, fantastic, full of wonder !”

    Jacqueline

  • Thank you to the entire team for an absolutely fantastic film - the most important film to date. Despite a largely sad reality for bees, the film gives hope for change. Together we can make the bees' voices heard. It can't wait. Thank you very, very much 🐝❤️

    Viveca

  • It was interesting to see so many other people keeping bees in very natural ways. The interviews and photography were all excellent.

    Katharine

  • The film deeply moved me, and I wholeheartedly identify with its message. Your work carries tremendous importance — not only for nature conservation, but for all of us who believe in working with nature, not against it.

    Richard

  • Great movie! It made me feel hopeful because it showed that something is being done to save the bees and in a way that will bring the natural order of nature back into harmony. I loved watching the various beekeepers and their different relationships with the bee colonies. Bees can count!!! How fabulous that is to know.

    Lilian

Film participants

  • To be with the bees participant Heidi Herrman

    Heidi Herrman

    Heidi is a trustee of the Natural Beekeeping Trust she find an immense interest in the company of bees and has developed a great connection with them...

  • To be with the bees Michael Joshin Thiele

    Michael Joshin Thiele

    is an apiculture consultant and founder of Apis Arborea, a nonprofit focused on honeybee conservation through deep ecology and ecosystem-based strategies.

  • To be with the bees participant Jean Claude Poëncet

    Jean Claude Poëncet

    Biologist and holistic veterinarian, he invites us to rethink and understand the health of the earth and animals in a global way.

  • To be with the bees participant Vincent Albouy

    Vincent Albouy

    Entomologist formerly attached to the entomology laboratory of the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris, he works on insects and their protection for almost 30 years. Author of numerous books for the general public on bees and insects.

  • To ne with the bees participant

    Aline Raynal

    French botanist, researcher and professor at the National Museum of Natural History in Paris. With Albert Roguenant they attempted to recreate how bees perceive their environment.

  • To be with the bees participant Bernard Bertrand

    Bernard Bertrand

    He is an ardent defender of biodiversity and the author of numerous books on plants and wildlife. Author of the book Ruches de biodiversité.

  • To bewiththebees participants Pr Peter Neumann

    Peter Neumann

    Peter is the Vinetum professor of the Institute of Bee Health. His research and teaching covers all aspects of bee health with focus on behavioural, evolutionary and molecular ecology of honey bees and their pathogens.

  • To be with the bees participant Maurice Rouvière

    Maurice Rouvière

    is president of the Abeille et sagesse association based in south of France, and has been a fervent defender of the environment and biodiversity for over sixty years.

  • To be with the bees participant Hacene Hebbar

    Hacene Hebbar

    Project coordinator at the NGO POLLINIS

  • To be with the bees participant Gérard Pello

    Gérard Pello

    General practitioner, specialist of the consequences of pesticides on the brain.

  • To be with the bees participant Nicolas Laarman

    Nicolas Laarman

    General Delegate of Pollinis, An NGO whose fight is to stop the disappearance of pollinators.

  • To be with the bees participant pr Martin Giurfa

    Pr Martin Giurfa

    Is a Franco-Argentinian professor at Sorbonne University, internationally recognized for his work in bee neuroethology. He currently heads a team working to understand the neurobiological mechanisms of bee cognition.

  • To be with the bees participant

    Jean-Marc Aubret

    Organic farmer and beekeeper, his project is to reconcile agriculture and beekeeping through bee-oriented agroforestry.

  • To be with the bees participant Nick Adams

    Nick Adams

    Biodiversity advisor at Pertwood farm

  • To be with the bees participant Yves Darricau

    Yves Darricau

    An agronomist and essayist, Yves Darricau is also, and above all, a beekeeper and tree planter! Faced with the loss of biodiversity, he invites us to embark on a landscape transition that offers useful ecological solutions for tackling the impact of climate change.

  • To be with the bess participant Deborah Post

    Deborah Post

    Based on the realization that there wasn't enough natural food for bees and that they were starving, she set up Honey Highway to recreate biodiversity zones throughout the country, working together with company’s and governmental agencies.

  • To be with the bees participant Jonathan Powell

    Jonathan Powell

    Is a trustee of the Natural Beekeeping Trust and co-founder of Learning from the Bees. He authored the Tree Beekeeping Field Guide, and oversees forest rewilding projects in the UK and Spain.

  • To be with the bees participant

    Monica et Mark Barlow

    Member of the NGO Bees for development. With her husband they work to rewild honeybees in their region (Wales).

  • To be with the bees participant pr Thomas Seeley

    Thomas Seeley

    Dr. Thomas D. Seeley is a professor at Cornell University. He is based in the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, where he teaches courses on animal behavior and does research on the behavior, social life, and ecology of wild honey bees. His work is summarized in several books including Honeybee Democracy or Following the Wild Bees.

  • To be with the bees participant Karine Devot

    Karine Devot

    founder and leader of the Apicool association. Its main aim is to raise awareness of the world of bees in all its diversity, and to propose actions to preserve pollinators for children, local authorities and businesses.

  • To be with the bees participant Jean Claude Guillaume

    Jean Claude Guillaume

    Natural and ecological beekeeper, he has dedicated his life to research into knowledge and practices that respect the nature of bees.

  • Close-up black and white photo of a middle-aged man with a beard and short hair, gazing thoughtfully to the side.

    Guy Aubry

    Beekeeper and farmer

  • To be with the bees participant Jacqueline Freeman

    Jacqueline Freeman

    Biodynamic american farmer and natural beekeeper. Author of the books Song of increase.

  • To be with the bees participant Henri Giorgi

    Henri Giorgi

    Former beekeeper, he now devotes his time to protecting black bees and building trunk hives.

  • To be with the bees participant Celine Locqueville

    Céline Locqueville

    Natural beekeeper, she's the author of the book Ruches refuges how to receive the bees in our garden.

  • To be with the bees participant Jean Pierre Gauthier

    Jean-Pierre Gauthier

    Passionate beekeeper and fervent defender of the environment.

  • To be with the bees participant Catherine Flurin

    Catherine Flurin

    A pioneer of gentle, bee-friendly organic beekeeping in France, she is the founder of the Ballot Flurin company, which makes natural hygiene and beauty products using ingredients from her hives.

  • To be with the bees participant Marom

    Marom Hai Jan

    A young israelian beelover and beekeeper, she's fascinated by the bees since she was a child.

  • To be with the bees participant Karin Maassen

    Karin Maassen

    Custos Apium, Beecentric beekeeper, incredible gardener for the bees and the biodiversity. With her husband they build natural beehives mostly placed in the trees.

  • To be with the bees participant Adam Wright

    Adam Wright

    Cusos Apium, beecentric beekeeper, log hive and wilding hive builder.

  • To be with the bees participant Gilles Denis

    Gilles Denis

    A professional beekeeper, after having practiced industrial beekeeping he discovered the Warré hive and developed an approach that respects the nature of the bee. He advocates a change in practices, based on observation and communication with the swarm.