Honey Bee
Synopsis: Honey Bee is a short visual poem which reflects on memory and the moments in life that change us and hold us back. For each of us, different moments leave their mark on our souls, but this “one” is inspired by today’s headlines.
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Starring
Sydney Salter (Teenager in Pink)
Ella Stevenson (Child in Purple)
Grace Stevenson (Child in Pink)
Jake Phillips (Boy)
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Director's Statement
What is it to be a survivor of severe trauma, and not know where to turn for healing?
I created ‘Honey Bee’ to explore survivorship. In a family of Holocaust survivors, I experienced what is referred to as “second generation trauma”. Trauma survivors bury the past in order to move forward in a new world, but secrets, shame, and guilt lurk beneath the surface. The next generation carry these scars, but often cannot identify why. Often no one is “supposed” to talk about it.
The seed for ‘Honey Bee’ was planted after Columbine, and grew steadily over the years. I, like most Americans, watched in bewilderment and horror the alarming increase in mass shootings in what were traditionally our “safe places.” After the shootings at Parkland, I finally determined there isn’t enough talking that can be done or art that can be made about it. I started a feature script.
I tried to envision “the moment where everything changed” for the protagonist. But, as with trauma, these moments were non-linear, disjointed memories. As I wrote, I saw, heard, felt, bees, a gun, a flower. ‘Honey Bee,’ the short, was born and quickly morphed into a visual poem of sensations. The story of trauma isn’t just a singular event, but rather a series of memories our mind weaves together to tell its own story. I allowed this story to tell itself in a non-traditional way, evoking emotion through beautiful/terrible images.
By not presenting a solution to the trauma of ‘Honey Bee,’ I hope the film compels viewers to consider what it is to be a survivor of severe trauma and not know where to turn to for healing, that it opens up important conversations on how to halt the violence in every community, and support survivors in a meaningful way. It’s something that everyone needs to talk about.
Director's Bio
Sandy is a NYC-based Writer/Director whose shorts have screened at festivals worldwide – notably the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Dances With Films – and won awards including a BAFTA Scotland New Talent Award for Sound Design. Presently, Sandy is completing a full-length feature script based on her short film, Honey Bee.
