Maya the Bee (2014 film)
Maya the Bee | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
Directed by | Alexs Stadermann |
Produced by |
Barbara Stephen Thorsten Wegener |
Written by |
Fin Edquist Marcus Sauermann |
Based on |
Maya the Bee by Waldemar Bonsels |
Starring |
|
Music by | Ute Engelhardt |
Edited by | Adam Smith |
Production company | |
Distributed by |
Universum Film AG (Germany) Shout! Factory (United States) |
Release date |
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Running time | 87 minutes[1] |
Country |
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Language |
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Box office | $14,361,000[2][lower-alpha 1] |
Maya the Bee (promoted theatrically as Maya the Bee Movie) is a 2014 German-Australian[1] 3D computer-animated comedy adventure film directed by Alexs Stadermann, loosely based on the 1975 anime Maya the Honey Bee as well as indirectly the German children's book of the same name by Waldemar Bonsels. It features the voices of Kodi Smit-McPhee, Noah Taylor, Richard Roxburgh, Jacki Weaver, and Miriam Margolyes. It was released theatrically in Australia on November 1, 2014.
Summary
Maya is born in a world of rules, but when she discovers villainous Buzzlina Von Beena's plot to steal the Queen's royal jelly, Maya is banished from the hive and into the meadow. With her best friend Willy tagging along, Maya meets a young hornet named Sting. Together they have to stop the plot and the fight between bees and hornets before it's too late.
Voice cast
- Coco Jack Gillies as Maya, a cute and tomboyish young bee girl.[3]
- Kodi Smit-McPhee as Willy, Maya's best friend.[4]
- Joel Franco as Sting, a young Hornet, Maya and Willy's best friend and sidekick
- Richard Roxburgh as Flip, a grasshopper[4]
- Justine Clarke as Miss Cassandra, teacher at the bee school and Maya's mother figure[4]
- Jacki Weaver as Buzzlina Von Beena, the royal counselor of the beehive, Maya's arch-enemy (but reforms later at the end).[4]
- Andy McPhee as Hank, Sting's father, Bees friends and former arch-rivals[4]
- Miriam Margolyes as The Queen, the leader of Bees (and current Hornets later on).[4]
- David Collins as Arnie, an ant soldier, Paul's right-hand[4]
- Shane Dundas as Barney, an ant soldier, Arnie's partner and Paul's right-hand[4]
- Jimmy James Eaton as Paul, an ant colonel, the leader of ants[4]
- Heather Mitchell as Miss Bosby, chief of the worker bees[4]
- Noah Taylor as Crawley, the hilariously bumbling of the beehive, Buzzlina’s loyal assistant[4]
- Cameron Ralph as Momo, a moth[4]
- Glenn Fraser as Kurt, a dung beetle[4]
- Heather Mitchell as Thekla, a spider[4]
- Stavroula Mountzouris as Lara, a ladybug, Willy's love interest[4]
- Uncredited as Rider, a dragonfly, the rider of Dragonfly Express. He was rider at the Jitterbug Hollow, then he helped Maya and their friends to stop the Hornets from fighting the Bees.[4]
- Uncredited as Rode, a dragonfly, the rider of Dragonfly Express. Who helped Maya and their friends to stop the Hornets from fighting the Bees.[4]
- Uncredited as Drumer, a spider, the music party in Jitterbug Hollow.[4]
- Uncredited as Mozz, a mosquito, the music party in Jitterbug Hollow.[4]
- Uncredited as Croaker, a frog, the insect' predator.[4]
- Uncredited as Ugly, a bat, the insect' predator.[4]
- Uncredited as Batty, a bat, the insect' predator.[4]
Production
Animation World Network announced in May 2013 that Universum Film would distribute all German rights of the film.[5] The film is directed by Alexs Stadermann, and produced by Patrick Elmendorff and Thorsten Wegener from Studio 100 Animation; Jim Ballantine and Barbara Stephen from Buzz Studios.[6][1] The film was produced in association with Flying Bark Productions and ZDF.[7][8] This film was Coco Jack Gillies film debut as she voiced the role of Maya. Gillies was 9 years old at the time of production.[1][4]
Reception
Maya the Bee received mixed reviews from critics, scoring a 44% in Rotten Tomatoes with an average rating of 5.6/10 as of May 2015.[9] Frank Hatherley from Screen Daily stated that "this merry movie is for young children, mainly girls: step aside, Dora the Explorer!" with vivid colours and plenty of unthreatening action.[1]
Accolades
Award | Category | Subject | Result |
---|---|---|---|
Asia Pacific Screen Award | Best Animated Feature Film | Barbara Stephen & Thorsten Wegener | Nominated |
Bavarian Film Award | Best Animated Film | Patrick Elemendorff & Thorsten Wegener | Won |
Screen Producers Australia Award | Best Feature Film Production | Barbara Stephen & Thorsten Wegener | Nominated |
Seattle International Film Festival | Youth Jury Award | Alexs Stadermann | Nominated |
Stockholm International Film Festival | Grand Jury Prize for Best Film | Nominated | |
See also
Notes
- ↑ As of November 2014.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Frank Hatherley (24 October 2014). "Maya The Bee Movie". Screen Daily. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ "MAYA THE BEE MOVIE". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Scott Roxborough (5 November 2014). "AFM: Shout! Takes 'Maya The Bee' for North America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Everyone’s favourite little bee Maya makes her big screen debut in Maya the Bee Movie.". Flying Bark Productions. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Jennifer Wolfe (20 May 2013). "Studio 100 Launches 'Maya the Bee' Animated Feature". Animation World Network. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Patrick Frater (November 10, 2014). "Shout! Factory Takes North America on ‘Maya The Bee Movie’". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
- ↑ Jerry Beck (18 January 2015). "TRAILER: "Maya The Bee"". Indiewire. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ Etan Vlessing (8 May 2012). "Canada's Thunderbird Films Steers 'Maya the Bee' into North America". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
- ↑ "Maya The Bee Movie (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
External links
- Official US website
- Official UK website
- Official German website
- Maya the Bee on IMDb
- Maya the Bee at Rotten Tomatoes