Experiencing Interruptions?

Propolis, part 7

An hallucinogenic journey begins with the sting of a bee in this series. Liz journies with her family through the environmental apocalypse, where the insects band together to rid the world of humans.
Episode 7: Monsters reside in all of us for a reason. Liz and Beaux are a sister and brother, trapped in a closet as punishment by an alcoholic mother, but escape means they must face a far more nefarious world outside the doors of the closet.

  • Patricia Beckmann Wells
    Director
    'Family Tale', 'Brand New Day', 'Gertrudah'
  • Patricia Beckmann Wells
    Writer
    'Family Tale', 'Brand New Day', 'Gertrudah'
  • Patricia Beckmann Wells
    Producer
    'Family Tale', 'Brand New Day', 'Gertrudah'
  • Jack Chiu
    Key Cast
    "Beaux"
  • Lilly Manzanera
    Key Cast
    "Liz"
  • Scott W. Wells
    Key Cast
    "Fred"
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Web / New Media
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 40 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    November 30, 2018
  • Production Budget:
    100 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Slamdance
    Park City Utah
    United States
    January 27, 2019
    World
    Official Selection, Episode
  • _Under_the_Radar
    Vienna
    Austria
    July 3, 2019
    International
    Official Selection
  • Cordillera Film Festival
    Reno, NV
    United States
    Finalist, best animation
  • STUFF MX
    Mexico City
    Mexico
    October 31, 2019
    Latin American
  • ZED Fest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 7, 2019
  • New Filmmakers Los Angeles
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 16, 2019
  • The Psychedelic and Film and Music Festival
    New York City
    United States
    April 19, 2019
  • Raw Science Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    January 19, 2019
Director Biography - Patricia Beckmann Wells

Patricia Beckmann Wells creates film and emerging technology entertainment from her studios overlooking the Angeles Forest. Her film ‘Family Tale’, an animated documentary about the creation of her family, toured with Lunafest (sponsored by Cliff Bars) and helped raise almost 2 million dollars for Breast Cancer. Her Music Video with punk ska band Big D and the Kid’s Table, ‘Brand New Day’, explored the fractal expansion of family, and toured internationally. Her book “Face It: A Visual Reference for Mutli-ethnic Facial Modeling” provides forensic evidence to inform the discussion of regional identity in character design. She has spoken at Pixar on the topic of this book. Patricia has worked on feature films, games, and emerging technology projects as both an artist and executive. Her current series 'Propolis' focuses on the monsters inside us all and the reason they exist, as characters reflecting the current environmental apocalypse.

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Director Statement

DIRECTORS VISION FOR FILM: The Creek fire destroyed my neighborhood in the Angeles Forest. I watched neighbors escape from burning homes. The roads were blocked by flames. My hands are burned and scarred. We kept our son unaware in the house while we fought with shovels and a hose. The firemen were unable to get to us until three hours after our neighborhood was consumed and then forced us to evacuate. I had to say goodbye to the bees I raised. I figured they would swarm. I came back a week later to see that my bees and hive survived. They were likely the only hive for 17 miles, and they would be the team to help repopulate the Forest. They are superheroes.
WHY THE PROJECT IS IMPORTANT: Propolis is inspired by these bees, and what they mean for the future of earth. I have been raising Bees for three years now as a personal revolt against an administration that does not engage with environmental policy. I feared them at first, but now I can approach a hive without a bee suit. I have taken many classes in Bee behavior and Beekeeping, and have learned they function much like the human brain. This observation now extends to other areas of nature as well. This point of view came to me through this process that I can share best through the graphic symbolism of animation and method writing.