Swarm looks at contemporary attempts to use the behavior of honeybees to respond
to the conditions of environmental collapse. The film explores the present state
of the relationship between humans and bees and how it is changing through advances
in ecology, robotics and artificial intelligence. Framed through the filmmakers’ own
attempt at becoming amateur beekeepers, the film presents a comparative portrait
of different initiatives that are trying to create new models for interacting with nature.
Among these are a DIY beekeepers association, a biologist and swarm rescuer,
a group of amateur entomologists tracking the decline in insect population, and
the Artificial Life Lab in Graz, which has produced robotic bees and is developing an
intelligent artificial beehive. Through these efforts, the film considers the ways
in which, in the face of our current environmental predicament, developments
in science and technology are redefining the role of humans within the natural world.
Anja Dornieden
Juan David González
Monroy
