Our take
The first movie to be nominated for both the Documentary and Foreign-Language Oscar categories and the most awarded film of the 2019 Sundance Festival, Honeyland quietly accompanies the last wild beekeepers in Europe over three years. It portrays the lonely and primordial life of Muratova, which is centered around harvesting honey according to the rules of her ancient ancestors and caring for her ailing mother.
Originally planned as an environmental documentary, this film evolved into something completely different, as it often goes with immersive documentaries, when the Macedonian directors Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov met beekeeper Hatidže. The film takes another sudden turn when Muratova’s life is upended by a nomadic family settling next door, threatening her tradition, her way of life, and her natural environment.
This unbelievable cinematic journey is a feast for the eyes thanks to the amazing work done by cinematographer Samir Ljuma. However, despite the awe-inspiring imagery, Honeyland never imposes on its subject, creating an incredible intimacy with Hatidže’s life and her natural environment. Breathtaking!
What it won
Other
1 nom
The story
When nomadic beekeepers break Honeyland’s basic rule (take half of the honey, but leave half to the bees), the last female beehunter in Europe must save the bees and restore natural balance.
Elsewhere
"Its narrative construction depicts extraordinary tensions and conflicts with a clarity and coherence that a screenwriter might dream of. At the same time, the film's dramatic power comes at the expense of the reportorial side of documentary filmmaking."
— Richard Brody
"Brief and to the point, Honeyland proves more meditative than its premise suggests."
— Lillian Crawford
The details
Gather
Sanjay Rawal
Diego Maradona
Asif Kapadia
Uppity: The Willy T. Ribbs Story
Adam Carolla & Nate Adams
The Other Dream Team
Marius A. Markevicius & Marius Markevicius
Fifi Howls from Happiness
Mitra Farahani
Daughters
Angela Patton & Natalie Rae
Aswang
Alyx Ayn Arumpac
Maidentrip
Jillian Schlesinger
Who picked it
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
I adored this doc. One of the best! 10/10