Tell It to the Bees (2019)
Tell It to the Bees (2019), directed by Annabel Jankel, starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger.
score
Some secrets are too powerful to keep.
Synopsis
Dr. Jean Markham returns to the town she left as a teenager to take over her late father's medical practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands Charlie in her surgery, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and tell his secrets to the bees, as she once did. The new friendship between the boy and the bee keeper brings his mother Lydia into Jean's world.
- Annabel JankelDirector, Producer
- Jon HarrisEditing
- Maya MaffioliEditing
- Daisy AllsopProducer
About the film
Tell It to the Bees is a 2018 British historical romantic drama film, directed by Annabel Jankel and starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger. The screenplay by Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Fiona Shaw.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as a Special Presentation on 9 September 2018. Tell It to the Bees opened in limited release in the United States on 3 May 2019. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2019.
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Tell It to the Bees is a 2018 British historical romantic drama film, directed by Annabel Jankel and starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger. The screenplay by Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth is based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Fiona Shaw.
The film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival as a Special Presentation on 9 September 2018. Tell It to the Bees opened in limited release in the United States on 3 May 2019. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom on 26 July 2019.
Plot
With her marriage failing, Lydia starts to connect with the town's new doctor Jean, who bonds with Lydia's son Charlie after he takes an interest in her bee colonies. However, in 1950s rural Scotland, the women's relationship raises questions after the mother and son start to live with her after they get evicted.
Cast
Anna Paquin as Jean Markham
Holliday Grainger as Lydia Weekes
Emun Elliott as Robert Weekes
Lauren Lyle as Annie Cranmer
Gregor Selkirk as Charlie Weekes
Billy Boyd as adult Charlie vocal narrator
Kate Dickie as Pam Cranmer
Steven Robertson as Jim
Production
Development
In June 2012, the original screenplay written by Irena Brignull was presented to the British Film Institute (BFI). Funding for the project was thereafter secured from the BFI Film Fund and Creative Scotland. The initial production budget in 2015 was £5 million.
In May 2017, the producers announced that Holliday Grainger was to star in the film. In August 2017, Anna Paquin joined the cast as Doctor Jean Markham. Unlike the novel, which is set in Yorkshire, the film takes place in southern Scotland.
Tell It to the Bees is produced by Reliance Entertainment Productions 8, Archface Films, Taking A Line For A Walk, Riverstone Pictures, Cayenne Film Company, Motion Picture Capital; and co-produced by Filmgate Films, Twickenham Studios and Film i Väst. Film Constellation handled international distribution rights.
The North American rights were acquired from Film Constellation by Good Deed Entertainment on 30 October 2018. Distribution rights for Germany, Spain, Korea, and Taiwan were sold on 4 November 2018, followed by rights to Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, and Poland on 7 February 2019, as well as acquisition by Vertigo Releasing for the United Kingdom.
Filming
Principal photography began on 10 August 2017 in Scotland, with filming near Stirling.
Soundtrack
The original score was written by Scottish composer Claire M Singer. The soundtrack album was released on 3 May 2019.
Release
Tell It to the Bees premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2018. The first movie clip was released on 6 September in advance of the world premiere.
It premiered in limited theatrical release in the U.S. on 3 May 2019.
Home media
In the U.S., the film was made available as VOD on 3 May 2019.
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 49% of 57 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.2/10. The website's consensus reads: "Tell It to the Bees is well-acted and well-intentioned — but often undermined by its frustratingly didactic storytelling." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 50 out of 100, based on 13 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
See also
List of LGBT-related films directed by women
References
Further reading
Shaw, Fiona (19 July 2019). "My book Tell it to the Bees was made into a film – but they changed the ending for a straight audience". The Conversation. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
External links
Official website
Tell It to the Bees at IMDb
Tell It to the Bees at British Council | Film
Text from Tell It to the Bees on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tell_It_to_the_Bees
Trivia
- It premiered on May 3, 2019, a Friday.
- It runs 1h46 — a typical feature length.
- As of September 20, 2026, it is available in Brazil by subscription on Cindie Amazon Channel.
- This film's quiz has 12 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosTaking a Line for a Walk Productions, Riverstone Pictures, Archface Films, Cayenne Film Company, Reliance Entertainment Productions 8
- CountriesUnited Kingdom
- LanguagesEnglish
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Set in
- Scotland
Where to watch
Videos
Photos
Cast
-
Anna Paquin
Jean Markham -
Holliday Grainger
Lydia Weekes -
Emun Elliott
Robert Weekes -
Steven Robertson
Jim -
Lauren Lyle
Annie Stock -
Gregor Selkirk
Charlie Weekes -
Kate Dickie
Pam Stock -
Billy Boyd
Older Charlie (voice) -
Euan Mason
John - Zara Howell Chanting Girl 2
-
Violet Fluendy
Chanting Girl 3 -
Kaidon McGrath
Bully Boy - Liam Meghan Billy
-
Joanne Gallagher
Mrs Bewick - Joni Samson Connie
-
Isaac Jenkins
Tim - Farah Samson Iris
-
Leo Hoyte-Egan
George -
Sarah McCardie
Mrs Robson - Alexa Snell Meg
Quiz about this movie
Questions from the whole catalogue.
Play nowIf you liked this one
-
Camp Belvidere Drama from the 2010s
6.5
-
Sedução
6.6
-
Meu Policial
7.5
-
Below Her Mouth Drama from the 2010s
6.8
-
Na Sua Pele - A Série Marked Men
6.7
-
O Mapa Que Me Leva Até Você
6.7
-
Um Fascinante Novo Mundo
7.0
-
Almas em Leilão
6.9
-
Morra, Amor
6.1
-
Desejo Proibido
6.6
-
Cinquenta Tons Mais Escuros Drama from the 2010s
6.5
-
De Volta ao Mar
6.8
Tags
Crew
- Annabel Jankel Director
- Jon Harris Editing
- Maya Maffioli Editing
- Annabel Jankel Producer
- Daisy Allsop Producer
- Laure Vaysse Producer
- Nick Hill Producer
- Nik Bower Producer
- Claire M Singer Original music
- Henrietta Ashworth Screenplay
- Jessica Ashworth Screenplay
Questions about this film
What is Tell It to the Bees about?
Tell It to the Bees: Dr. Jean Markham returns to the town she left as a teenager to take over her late father's medical practice. When a school-yard scuffle lands Charlie in her surgery, she invites him to visit the hives in her garden and tell his secrets to the bees, as she once did. The new friendship between the boy and the bee keeper…
Who directed Tell It to the Bees?
Tell It to the Bees was directed by Annabel Jankel in 2019.
Who stars in Tell It to the Bees?
The cast of Tell It to the Bees includes Anna Paquin, Holliday Grainger, Emun Elliott, Steven Robertson and Lauren Lyle.
How long is Tell It to the Bees?
Tell It to the Bees runs for 106 minutes, or 1h46.
Where can I watch Tell It to the Bees?
Tell It to the Bees is available on Cindie Amazon Channel, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability changes often: the list on this page is the most recent we received.
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Page updated on 09/11/2026.
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