A take to save the bees

Buzz of Transformation is an international documentary project that, through authentic testimonies, explores the role of beekeepers in the relationship between humans and nature. Its collaborative direction and inclusive narrative approach offer a direct insight into today’s environmental and social challenges. This initiative brings together cinema and activism to foster awareness and change.

«I found myself having to decide why I should continue doing the work I have always done, and I chose to turn it into a way to encourage reflection on the future of the planet, across generations and without rhetoric. In a practical spirit». Maurizio Gigola has been a director for years, and this is how he explains why he now devotes himself exclusively to non-fiction documentaries, «gathering and facilitating other people’s testimonies».

He stopped making films as an end in themselves, choosing instead to showcase cinema’s potential as a communication tool where many others fail. His new challenge concerns the world of bees and beekeepers: he wants Buzz of Transformation to echo across the globe.

The stories of bees: a global mosaic of change

His new project, developed in collaboration with Apimondia¹, bears this very name. It is currently in progress and involves nine other directors of various nationalities, all committed to «collecting testimonies from people who work with bees every day, to highlight the relationship they and their communities have built and maintained with nature», explains Gigola.

There will be six episodes, each containing four stories, and absolutely no storytelling for its own sake: the sole aim of the directing team is to convey the idea of interdependence between people and nature, and respect for what surrounds us, no matter how small. These are two dimensions currently at risk of extinction, which the world of bees can help us rediscover and powerfully promote through stories of local challenges playing out across all continents. By collecting an ever-growing multitude of small, authentic stories, Gigola aims to bring people closer to major global issues which, while crucial, do not receive the attention they deserve. Among them: the climate crisis, economic and social inclusion, gender equality in every sphere of society, and transformations linked to digitalisation that require a just and sustainable transition.

Participatory cinema, people at the centre

Buzz of Transformation is a challenge within challenges: as beekeepers face theirs, the ten directors face their own, seeking to help viewers understand that «we are all involved». But how? Through personal testimonies and participatory cinema.

Testimonies have always been at the heart of Gigola’s craft, as he explains:

«They are the most credible content in a world where communication is increasingly confusing – the most effective way to connect user and content when both are human, real and authentic».

He also stresses the importance of carefully selecting the material for a work such as this one.

Even when “gathered in the field”, the content of a docu-series must be correctly contextualised and presented with a perspective consistent with those who live it in order to be truly authentic. That of the communities featured: decolonised, honest and unfiltered. This is where the concept of participatory direction comes into play, the cornerstone of Buzz of Transformation.

From the outset, Gigola and his colleagues chose to involve each community featured not only in the narrative process but also in the filming itself. For every story, local videomaker teams are being created to capture scenes of everyday beekeeping using their smartphones and their unique perspective – invaluable for its territorial sensitivity, impossible to replicate.

Another key principle guiding the directing team is the centrality of people and the positive, direct and lasting impact on the communities portrayed. Gigola is no stranger to this kind of relationship with the stories he tells. Before turning his lens on billions of bees, he used the same approach to document the challenges of winemakers in Friuli and of musicians scattered through the Venezuelan jungle, as well as notable individuals such as maestro Gualtiero Marchesi² and genetics pioneer Leroy Hood³. These may seem like very different stories – and they are – but they share a common thread in the way Gigola chooses to represent them on film. What matters is the intention, and Gigola sums his up in a motto that continues to guide his work today, even in the world of bees: “Filming for a Better World”.

Bees in the spotlight: truth and responsibility

«Promoting our work through documentaries is undoubtedly useful, it can help convey, at least in part, the challenges that beekeepers face today».

«The aim is valid, but for these tools to be truly effective, they must be based on solid and well-documented information», says Giancarlo Naldi, director of the Osservatorio Nazionale Miele.

To make his position clear, Naldi shares a specific example: a common phrase used to promote bee conservation, which claims «You no longer hear the same buzz as before…». «The intention is praiseworthy, but it risks being counterproductive, as it suggests that bees have already disappeared and all honey on the market comes from China – which is not true», Naldi explains. «In Italy, there are more than 1,700,000 beehives spread across every region, and each one, in the production season, can house up to 50,000 bees. Bees are still here, thanks to the many beekeepers who persist and protect them from countless threats. But the risk of losing them is real».

His observation underscores the need for a participatory approach like that of Buzz of Transformation, to avoid unintentional but harmful misrepresentations of the sector. At the same time, his words raise a deeper question: what is the real “risk” threatening it? Naldi speaks of risk in the singular, but when pressed for details, he lists many – neatly dividing them into production and market risks.

On the production side, the most critical issues concern environmental degradation, which reduces nectar availability, and climate change, which exacerbates its effects. In this context, Naldi highlights the importance of the acacia – a spontaneous plant essential to producing the most in-demand honey. «It blooms between May and June and lasts 7 to 10 days, and is extremely delicate», he explains. «If it is hit by rain, wind or late frosts, the consequences can be severe – up to the total loss of the entire season’s production».

Another limiting factor is intensive beekeeping, which in some cases involves harmful pest-control practices that damage bees and force beekeepers to migrate. Naldi’s list continues with challenges such as the «loss of nectar-producing ability in new cultivars of agricultural plants bred solely for high oil yield rather than nectar yield» and the threats posed by «diseases and exotic predators that make bees’ lives increasingly difficult».

From an economic standpoint, the greatest challenge appears to be a single, overwhelming one:the increasing presence of ultra-low-quality honey sold at prices so low that they prevent any form of sustainable competition.

Documenting to act

Italy’s Osservatorio Nazionale Miele is doing its part locally, coordinating a technical panel at the Ministry of Agriculture to promote best practices for protecting bees and pollinators⁴, Yet the challenges mentioned by Naldi are global and must be tackled as such. They are not easy to explain, which does not help, but overcoming them requires embracing their complexity and convincing both producers and consumers to work together. Could a documentary series really make that happen?

Buzz of Transformation is giving it a try, aiming to spark collective interest in the challenges raised by beekeeping stories, which go far beyond beekeeping itself. According to Naldi, the key messages to amplify in Italy are twofold: label awareness and sustainable plant protection. The first is essential, as it helps consumers distinguish high-quality honey.«From Alpine rhododendron to acacia, from southern citrus to Sardinian strawberry tree and asphodel – Italy offers countless multifloral varieties, each tied to its region. Even though the price is higher⁵», Naldi concedes, «choosing these is the only way to support genuine beekeepers – without whom the bees really would disappear in no time».

Beekeepers, for their part, can also act to help both themselves and their bees: «by adopting the plant protection methods developed through research», Naldi reminds us. «They are effective and environmentally friendly – and the first to benefit is our own sector».

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1. Apimondia, the largest beekeeping association https://www.apimondia.org/ ↩︎
2. Gigola’s work on Gualtiero Marchesi: Perfetto, S. (2021, November 2). Harvest 2020: Director Gigola’s latest documentary explores wine and people from the Friuli Venezia Giulia region. L’Italo-Americano – Italian American Bilingual News Source. https://italoamericano.org/harvest-2020-director-gigola/ ↩︎
3. Leroy Hood, a pioneer in genomics studies https://isbscience.org/people/leroy-hood-md-phd/ ↩︎
4. Guidelines and good practices of the national honey observatory: LINEE GUIDA PER LA SALVAGUARDIA DEGLI IMPOLLINATORI – Osservatorio Nazionale Miele. (2025, February 11). Osservatorio Nazionale Miele. https://www.informamiele.it/linee-guida/; Tabelle tossicità delle sostanze attive impiegate in agricoltura e in alcuni biocidi nei confronti delle api e loro persistenza nell’ambiente – Osservatorio Nazionale Miele. (2025, March 5). Osservatorio Nazionale Miele. https://www.informamiele.it/tabelle-tossicita/ ↩︎
5. Tre Gocce d’Oro guide: https://www.informamiele.it/le-guide-tre-gocce-doro/ ↩︎