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The Secret Life of Bees ()


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In 1964, a teenage girl in search of the truth about her mother runs away to a small town in South Carolina and finds a family of independent women who can connect her to her past.

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Cast verified as complete

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Lily Owens
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August Boatwright
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Rosaleen Daise
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June Boatwright
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May Boatwright
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T. Ray Owens
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Deborah Owens (as Hilarie Burton)
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Zach Taylor (as Tristan Wilds)
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Neil
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Greta
Renee Ford Clark ...
Doll (as Renée Clark)
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Violet (as a different name)
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Cressie
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Sugar Girl
Emma Sage Bowman ...
Young Lily
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Young Lily
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Young Lily
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Teenager
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Frank Posey
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Mechanic
Chris Moore ...
Posey's Buddy
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Sheriff Gaston
Cullen Moss ...
Young White Policeman (as Cullen Dean Moss)
Walt Elder ...
Driver
Dan Beene ...
Mr. Kirven
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Mr. Forrest
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Miss Lacy
Tom Conder ...
White Man #1
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White Man #3
Dan Cox ...
Sheriff Brooks
Quentin Kerr ...
Police Officer
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(voice)
...
(voice)
...
(voice) (as Catherine Cavadini)
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(voice) (as Lanai Chapman)
Barbara Harris ...
(voice) (as Barbara Iley)
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(voice)
Thomas Lambert ...
(voice)
Terence Mathews ...
(voice)
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(voice)
...
(voice)
...
(voice) (as Richard W. Penn)
Noreen Reardon ...
(voice)
Cheryl Tyre Smith ...
(voice) (as Cheryl Tyre-Smith)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chevy Cofield ...
Townsmen (uncredited)
...
Self (uncredited) (archiveFootage)
Linwood Mooring ...
Onlooker (uncredited)
Lindsey Sherrin ...
Teen (uncredited)
Matthew Landon Sparks ...
Teen 2 (uncredited)

Directed by

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Gina Prince-Bythewood

Written by

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Gina Prince-Bythewood ... (screenplay)
 
Sue Monk Kidd ... (novel)

Produced by

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Ed Cathell III ... co-producer
James Lassiter ... producer
Ewan Leslie ... co-producer
Joe Pichirallo ... producer
Jada Pinkett Smith ... executive producer
Aldric La'auli Porter ... co-producer (as Aldric Porter)
Lauren Shuler Donner ... producer
Will Smith ... producer

Music by

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Mark Isham

Cinematography by

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Rogier Stoffers ... director of photography

Editing by

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Terilyn A. Shropshire

Editorial Department

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Fred Chandler ... post production executive
David Todd Davies ... digital conforming and opticals: PostWorks Los Angeles
Elizabeth Fox ... post supervisor
David Friedman ... editorial production assistant
Scott Gregory ... digital film colorist: PostWorks Los Angeles
Michael L. Holland ... digital intermediate producer: PostWorks Los Angeles
Kenneth Marsten ... associate editor (as Kenny Marsten)
Heather J. Morrison ... assistant editor (as Heather Morrison)
Harry Muller ... color timer
Tim Safarik ... colorist: dailies
Tahj Gautier ... post-production assistant (uncredited)
Faust Pierfederici ... digital preview colorist (uncredited)

Casting By

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Kim Coleman ... casting director: additional
Aisha Coley
Craig Fincannon
Lisa Mae Fincannon
Mark Fincannon

Production Design by

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Warren Alan Young

Art Direction by

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William G. Davis
Alan Hook

Set Decoration by

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James Edward Ferrell Jr.

Costume Design by

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Sandra Hernandez

Makeup Department

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Shutchai Tym Buacharern ... key makeup department head (as Tym Shutchai Buacharen)
Kari Delaney ... assistant hair stylist
Camille Friend ... hair department head
Lumas Hamilton Jr. ... hair stylist: Queen Latifah (as Lumas Hamilton)
Julie Kristy ... makeup: Queen Latifah
Rick Pour ... assistant makeup
Joy Zapata ... hair stylist: Dakota Fanning
Kelly E. Marlow ... additional hair stylist (uncredited)
Jason Willis ... makeup artist (uncredited)
Victoria Wood ... wig maker: Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson (uncredited)

Production Management

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Ed Cathell III ... unit production manager
Elizabeth Fox ... post-production supervisor
Preston L. Holmes ... unit production manager (as Preston Holmes)
Dale Williams ... assistant unit production manager
Mike Crawford ... unit production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director

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Brian Avery Galligan ... second second assistant director
Aldric La'auli Porter ... first assistant director (as Aldric Porter)
Joe Roddey ... second assistant director

Art Department

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Kip Bartlett ... on-set dresser (as Kip A. Bartlett)
Charles Bibbs ... creator: Black Madonna artwork
Charles Biting ... propmaker (as Charles Bitting)
Tracy Breyfogle ... art department production assistant (as Tracey Breyfogle)
John Bromell ... set dresser (as John T. Bromell)
Danielle Couture ... art department coordinator
Peter J. Durand ... scenic painter (as Peter Durand)
Thurston Edwards ... buyer
Craig Gilmore ... illustrator
George W. Harding III ... key greens (as George Harding III)
Carl Hector ... greensman (as Carl F. Hector)
Chester Lee Henderson Jr. ... set dresser
Chris Holcombe ... scenic painter
Margie McLamb Holowaty ... buyer (as Margie Hallowaty)
Vincent E. Immordino ... greensman (as Vincent Immordino)
Tom Jones Jr. ... construction coordinator
Doug Kelejian ... set dresser (as Douglas Kelejian)
Randy Kenan ... foreman
Gerard Kern ... gang boss
Andy Krish ... greensman
Alicia Lowe ... construction buyer
David Lyons ... standby greens
Michael Marcelli ... greensman
Alex McCarroll ... set designer
James D. Nelson ... set dresser
Paul Oliver ... lead scenic (as Paul W. Oliver)
James F. Oñate ... paint foreman (as James Oñate)
John C. Powell ... gang boss
Steve Roberts ... greensman
John Sanders ... property master
Jason Scruggs ... propmaker
Roger Scruggs ... construction foreman (as Roger Scruggs Sr.)
Barbara Seinfeld ... standby painter
Chris Shader ... property assistant (as Christopher 'Shady' Shader)
Michael Shapiro ... greensman (as Michael A. Shapiro)
'Jungle Jim' Shaughnessy ... on-set dresser (as James Shaughnessy)
'Polar Bear' Shaw ... leadman (as Polar Bear Shaw)
Larry C. Shepard ... paint gang boss
Bob Smith ... set dresser
Greg Spencer ... foreman (as Greg W. Spencer)
Michael H. Ward ... assistant art director (as Mike Ward)
Ernie Watson ... propmaker
John Weeks ... sculptor
Eric Brandon West ... set dresser (as Eric B. West)
Dana White ... greensman
Jesse Williams ... propmaker
Duane Williamson ... assistant property master
James Gambino ... typesetting (uncredited)
Craig Gilmore ... storyboard artist (uncredited)
Michael Williamson ... props (uncredited)

Sound Department

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Robert Althoff ... sound re-recordist
Julie Altus ... adr recordist
Jeremy Balko ... foley mixer / sound editor
Bridget Devaney-Nierenberg ... sound intern
Jenny Elsinger ... cable person
Marc Fishman ... re-recording mixer
Sean Foye ... foley mixer
Kostas Gkikas ... adr mixer
Matthew Iadarola ... re-recording mixer
Tony Lamberti ... re-recording mixer
Alexander Markowski ... adr mixer
Jay Nierenberg ... sound designer / sound supervisor
Todd Niesen ... sound editor
Angelo Palazzo ... sound editor
James Peterson ... boom operator
Shelley Roden ... foley artist
Carl Rudisill ... production sound mixer (as Carl S. Rudisill)
Dean St. John ... adr mixer
Phillip Young ... assistant sound editor (as Phillip J. Young)
Nick Foley ... adr mixer (uncredited)
Cameron O. Galloway ... adr recordist (uncredited)
Larry Hopkins ... layback sound mixer (uncredited)
Hugo Jeffreys ... adr recordist (uncredited)
Linda Lew ... foley recordist (uncredited)
John Soukup ... sound transfer (uncredited)
Ross Wissbaum ... adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by

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David Beavis ... special effects technician
Phil H. Fravel ... special effects technician
Stephen Lanier ... special effects coordinator
William Purcell ... special effects technician
Morgan McMath Rogers ... special effects technician (as Morgan M. Rogers)

Visual Effects by

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Casey Allen ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Ian Backer ... production assistant: Hammerhead Productions
Guy Botham ... visual effects executive producer: Lola Visual Effects
Daniel Chuba ... executive producer: Hammerhead Productions (as Dan Chuba)
Trent Claus ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Aliza Corson Chameides ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Victor DiMichina ... visual effects producer: Pixel Magic
Jamie Dixon ... visual effects supervisor
Kevin Fisher ... 2d artist: Pixel Magic
Gilbert Gonzales ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Deborah Hiner ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Les Hunter ... visual effects producer: Hammerhead Productions
Chris Ingersoll ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Justin Jones ... compositing supervisor: Hammerhead Productions (as Justin Other Jones)
Kelly Rae Kenan Green ... visual effects coordinator: Hammerhead Productions (as Kelly Kenan)
Shira Mandel Kluger ... artist: Hammerhead Productions (as Shira Mandel)
Benjamin Kutsko ... inferno artist: Lola VFX (as Ben Kutsko)
Didier Levy ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Jeff Mailes ... 2d artist: Pixel Magic
Richard Matsushita ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Mamie McCall ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Ray McIntyre Jr. ... visual effects supervisor: Pixel Magic
Daniel Mellitz ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Joel Merritt ... artist: Hammerhead Productions
Fatima Mojaddidy ... system administrator: Hammerhead Productions
Paolo Moscatelli ... cg supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Thomas Nittmann ... visual effects producer: Lola VFX
Brian Nugent ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Clark Parkhurst ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Sean Wallitsch ... inferno artist: Lola VFX
Edson Williams ... visual effects supervisor: Lola VFX
Manny Wong ... animation supervisor: Hammerhead Productions
Ryan Zuttermeister ... visual effects associate producer: Lola VFX
Ryan Beadle ... digital i/o (uncredited)
Samuel M. Dabbs ... lead title designer (uncredited)
Michele Ferrone ... visual effects producer (uncredited)
Christina Garberson ... visual effects executive (uncredited)
Shaina Holmes ... digital compositor (uncredited)
Paulina Kuszta ... visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts

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Tina McKissick ... stunts (as Tina Mckissick)
Dean Mumford ... stunt coordinator
Valerie N. Robinson ... stunts

Camera and Electrical Department

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Steven Allen ... dolly grip: "b" camera
Sidney Ray Baldwin ... still photographer (as Sidney Baldwin)
Troy Blischok ... first assistant camera: "b" camera
Michael Bonsignore ... dolly grip: "a" camera
George Bozeman II ... company grip
Joe D'Alessandro ... camera operator (as Joseph C. D'Alessandro)
Thomas H. Dean ... rigging electric best boy
Michael A. Jones ... best boy electric
Charles Laughon ... video assist (as Charles 'Chaz' Laughon)
Jordan Lindsay ... assistant video assist
Matt Malloy ... company electric (as Matthew Malloy)
Nicole Jannai Martinez ... loader (as Nicole Martinez)
John McIntyre ... second assistant camera
Cristiano Palermi ... company electric
Brian Powell ... company electric
Robert M. Powell ... company grip
Bob Shober ... company grip (as Robert N. Shober)
Steve Skinner ... best boy grip
Tommy Ray Sullivan ... gaffer
Dascious Thomas ... key grip
Dan Turek ... first assistant camera: "A" camera (as Daniel Turek)
Jack Vollers ... company electric
Jessica Ward ... second assistant camera: "b" camera
Bo Webb ... camera operator: "b" camera
Jamie Baglio ... electrician (uncredited)
Neil Boone ... additional grip (uncredited)
Matt Doll ... steadicam operator (uncredited)

Casting Department

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Kim Coleman ... additional casting
Tara Feldstein ... extras casting
Barbara Harris ... voice casting
Jackie Sollitto ... casting associate
Meredith Young ... extras casting
Amy Cohen ... casting assistant (uncredited)
Christian Kaplan ... executive in charge of casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department

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Eulyn Colette Hufkie ... set costumer (as Eulyn C. Hufkie-Womble)
Leigh Leverett ... costume supervisor
Joyce Marling ... key set costumer
Natalie Nye ... seamstress (as Natalie J. Nye)
Anne K. Osborne ... seamstress (as Anne K. Osbourne)
Alice Powell ... tailor
Dawn M. Williams ... set costumer
Jessica Williamson ... set costumer
Jeanie Baker ... costume supervisor (uncredited)
Natasha Konowalow ... costume assistant (uncredited)
Nina Schelich ... assistant costume designer (uncredited)

Location Management

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Bass Hampton ... location manager
Meg Lansaw ... location production assistant (as Margaret W. Lansaw)
Thomas Parris ... assistant location manager (as Thomas Paris)
Rachael Tartell ... assistant location manager (as Rachael Tartel)

Music Department

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Johnny Britt ... vocalist
Linda Cohen ... music supervisor
Laura Epstein ... cello coach: New York
John Fee ... music preparation
James Horner ... executive charge of music
Mark Isham ... musician: piano solos
Lewis Jones ... assistant music engineer
Zoe Keating ... musician: cello
Philip Klein ... music preparation
Kathy Meyer ... cello coach: North Carolina
Shawn Murphy ... score mixer
Jennifer Nash ... temp music editor
Cindy O'Connor ... assistant to composer
Tyler Parkinson ... assistant music engineer / electronic pre-recordist
Conrad Pope ... supervising orchestrator
Simon Rhodes ... score recordist
William Ross ... executive charge of music
Curtis Roush ... supervising music editor
L. Jimmy Sneed ... musician: guitar (as L.J. Sneed)
Jill Streater ... music preparation
Erik Swanson ... score recordist
Clifford J. Tasner ... orchestrator
Rosemary Warren-Green ... orchestra leader (as Rose Warren-Green)
Mark Berrow ... musician: violin (uncredited)
Thomas Cavanaugh ... music business & legal affairs (uncredited)
Rebecca Morellato ... music production executive (uncredited)
Buck Snow ... score recordist (uncredited)

Script and Continuity Department

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Thom Rainey ... script supervisor

Transportation Department

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Justin Masters ... driver
Lance Owens ... driver: Queen Latifah (as Lancelot Owens)
Scott Siler ... transportation captain (as Russell Scott Siler)
Tim J. Walters ... transportation coordinator
Russell l Byrd ... driver: cast (uncredited)
Alan Hilburn Jr. ... driver generator operator (uncredited)
Linda Pickett ... driver (uncredited)
Kim Smallwood ... transportation (uncredited)

Additional Crew

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Mark A. Alcala ... security: Queen Latifah
Ryan Bennett ... production assistant (as Ryan 'Flash' Bennett)
LaWanda Black ... executive assistant: Queen Latifah (as La Wanda Black aka 'LB')
Jen Brett ... production secretary
Cassandra Butcher ... unit publicist
Jan Cerwonka ... studio teacher
Michele Cusick ... production assistant
Jack Dubnicek ... assistant: Lauren Shuler Donner
Philippe Gallichet ... caterer: Cinema Catering (as Phillipe Gallichet)
Reva Grantham ... craft service
Casey Grimes ... bee assistant
Barbara Efthymiou Harris ... assistant production coordinator
Brian Hicks ... assistant: Joe Richirallo
Vikki Lewis ... craft service
Kathy Liska ... executive assistant: Lauren Shuler Donner
Richard Lyons ... theatrical consultant: Queen Latifah
Jenna Mazer ... accounting clerk
Shaun M. McGovern ... production accountant (as Shaun McGovern) / production auditor (as Shaun McGovern)
Tim Monich ... dialect coach
Natasha Parker ... assistant: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Author Queries ... production assistant
Michael Ray ... craft service
Nicholas Raynor ... catering assistant: Cinema Catering
Matthew Richards ... catering assistant: Cinema Catering
Valerie N. Robinson ... production assistant (as Valerie Robinson)
Jeremy Sanchez ... post-production accounting assistant
Jonathan Stanley ... production assistant
Kelly Stultz ... payroll accountant (as Kelly Brett Stultz)
Pamela Thornton ... assistant auditor (as Pamela Williamson)
Natalie Truly ... post-production accountant (as Natalie Mathes)
Lena Waithe ... assistant: Gina Prince-Bythewood
Caleb Womble ... production coordinator (as J. Caleb Womble)
Julian I. Wooten ... bee keeper
Carolyn Barrett ... photo double (uncredited)
John Calvin Byrd ... assistant publicist (uncredited)
Jessica Drake ... dialect coach: adr (uncredited)
Ava DuVernay ... production publicist (uncredited)
D.R. Farquharson ... project manager: Deluxe Digital Cinema (uncredited)
Gary Glushon ... assistant: James Lassiter (uncredited)
Will Griffin ... production assistant additional (uncredited)
Lieve Jansen ... completion guarantor (uncredited)
Kasey Kiser ... production assistant (uncredited)
Katarzyna 'Kait' Malec ... additional set production assistant (uncredited)
Thurston Pope ... stand-in (uncredited)

Thanks

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Johnny Griffin ... the producers wish to thank: for their assistance
Bill Lewis ... the producers wish to thank: for their assistance
Guy J. Louthan ... the producers wish to thank for their assistance
Paul Sanchez ... the producers wish to thank for their assistance
Bill Vassar ... the producers wish to thank: for their assistance
Crew believed to be complete

Production Companies

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Distributors

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Special Effects

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Other Companies

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Storyline

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Plot Summary

In 1964 South Carolina, 14-year-old Lily Own is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father T-Ray, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping. Written by Fox Searchlight Pictures

Plot Keywords
Taglines Bring Your Girlfriends, Sisters, Mothers and Daughters See more »
Genres
Parents Guide View content advisory »
Certification

Additional Details

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Also Known As
  • Bees' Secret Life (India, English title)
  • Le secret de Lily Owens (France)
  • Die Bienenhüterin (Germany)
  • La vida secreta de las abejas (Spain)
  • 蜜蜂的秘密生活 (China, Mandarin title)
  • See more »
Runtime
  • 114 min
Official Sites
Country
Language
Color
Aspect Ratio
Sound Mix
Filming Locations

Box Office

Budget $11,000,000 (estimated)
Opening Weekend United States $10,527,799, 17 Oct 2008
Cumulative Worldwide Gross $39,947,322, 27 May 2013

Did You Know?

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Trivia Alicia Keys learned to play the cello in 4 weeks for this part. See more »
Goofs The story takes place in 1964. Throughout the story, June wears a silk-screen NAACP t-shirt. Silk-screened t-shirts did not exist until the issuance of a patent for the garment screen printing machine in 1969. See more »
Movie Connections Featured in The 35th Annual People's Choice Awards (2009). See more »
Soundtracks Hippy Hippy Shake See more »
Quotes Zach Taylor: Miss August told me about you being here helping out. She didn't mention anything about you being white.
Lily Owens: Maybe she didn't notice.
See more »

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