Queen of the Sun

This engaging and ultimately uplifting look at the global bee crisis weaves a heartfelt story of the struggles of beekeepers, scientists and philosophers from around the world including Michael Pollan, Gunther Hauk and Vandana Shiva. They take us on a journey through the catastrophic disappearance of bees and the mysterious world of the beehive.

Adapted for Public Television from the feature film, QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? this is a profound, alternative look at the global bee crisis from award-winning filmmaker Taggart Siegel, director of REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN.

PURCHASE FILM
Purchase from the filmmakers at Collective Eye Films
orders@collectiveeye.org
T: 503.232.5345
F: 503.296.5515

CREDITS
Directed & Produced by – Taggart Siegel
Produced and Co-Edited by – Jon Betz
Associate Producers – Donald Siegel, Eric Stolberg, George Mitchell, Mike Quinn
Editors – Jon Betz / Taggart Siegel
Original Score – Jami Sieber
Sound Design – Ryan Mauk
Cinematography- Taggart Siegel
Additional Music By – Keith & Tanyia Hall & Omiza River
Key Cast
Michael Pollan – Author “Omnivore’s Dilemma”
Gunther Hauk – Biodynamic Beekeeper & Farmer
Raj Patel – Author “Stuffed and Starved”
May Berenbaum – Entomologist
Michael Thiele – Biodynamic Beekeeper, Melissa Garden

ABOUT THE PRODUCERS
TAGGART SIEGEL – For 30 years, Taggart Siegel has produced and directed award winning documentaries that present vital perspectives rarely seen in mainstream media. QUEEN THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? (2010) received critical-acclaim during its theatrical and broadcast release and garnered over 10 international awards. REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN (2006, PBS Independent Lens) tells the story of a maverick visionary farmer. Winner of 31 international film festivals awards it was broadcast worldwide and theatrically released worldwide. Siegel is also known for his PBS films, including ITVS Independent Lens SPLIT HORN: Life of a Hmong Shaman in America, (2001) and Chicago Emmy-Nominated BETWEEN TWO WORLDS (1984) about a Hmong Shaman documented over 15 years. BLUE COLLAR AND BUDDHA (1989) captures the struggles of Laotian Buddhist refugees. HEART BROKEN IN HALF (1991) is a film about Chicago gangs. Additionally, he is the director of feature length fiction film SHADOW OF THE PEPPER TREE and BODY MEMORIES (1994). Siegel was the producer and cinematographer for the National Geographic film DISENCHANTED FOREST about orangutans in Borneo, narrated by Brooke Shields. He recently completed a short documentary about Tibetan spiritual teacher Lady Palmo with the Dalai Lama. He is the Executive Director of Collective Eye Films, a non-profit media production and distribution organization based in Portland, Oregon.

JON BETZ – Jon Betz is an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker. He was the producer and editor for the multi-award winning QUEEN OF THE SUN: What Are the Bees Telling Us? critically- acclaimed during it’s U.S. theatrical release and heralded by The New York Times as “Revelatory! A Critic’s Pick” His previous film, MEMORIZE YOU SAW IT, is an intimate autobiographical documentary journaling his time as an aid worker living with former-child soldiers in Eastern Uganda. Betz recently co-directed a short documentary about Tibetan spiritual teacher Lady Palmo with the Dalai Lama. Betz’s films strive to dig deeply into spiritual, emotional and ethical issues and bring pressing social and environmental issues to the screen. Betz is a graduate from Rhode Island School of Design. He is the Director of Collective Eye, Inc. a non-profit media production and distribution organization based in Portland, Oregon.

FILMMAKER CONTACT
Collective Eye Films
www.collectiveeye.org

Queen of the Sun
www.queenofthesun.com

portland@collectiveeye.org (directors email)
orders@collectiveeye.org (sales)

AWARDS
Official Selection IDFA – International Film Festival Amsterdam
Winner – Audience Award – Maui Film Festival
Winner – Audience Award – Indiememphis Film festival
Best Documentary- Youth Jury Rhode Island Int’l
Winner IDA – Pare Lorentz Award (Honorable Mention)
Winner – Syracuse Film Festival
Winner – Director’s Choice- Rhode Island Int’l Film Festival
Winner – Nashville Film Festival
Official Selection – Abu Dhabi – International Film Festival
Winner – Planet in Focus Film Festival

DIRECTORS’ STATEMENT

http://www.queenofthesun.com/about/directors-statement/