Maya the Bee

Maya the Bee Information

Maya the Bee (promoted theatrically as Maya the Bee Movie) is a 2014 American-German-Australian 3D computer-animated romance slice of life 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 1 November 2014, and also in United States and Canada on 8 March 2015.

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.
Kodi Smit-McPhee as Willy, Maya's best friend.
Joel Franco as Sting, a young Hornet, Maya and Willy's best friend and sidekick
Richard Roxburgh as Flip, a grasshopper
Justine Clarke as Miss Cassandra, teacher at the bee school and Maya's mother figure
Jacki Weaver as Buzzlina Von Beena, the royal counselor of the beehive, Maya's arch-enemy (but reforms later at the end).
Andy McPhee as Hank, Sting's father, Bees friends and former arch-rivals
Miriam Margolyes as The Queen, the leader of Bees (and current Hornets later on).
David Collins as Arnie, an ant soldier, Paul's right-hand
Shane Dundas as Barney, an ant soldier, Arnie's partner and Paul's right-hand
Jimmy James Eaton as Paul, an ant colonel, the leader of ants
Heather Mitchell as Miss Bosby, chief of the worker bees
Noah Taylor as Crawley, the hilariously bumbling of the beehive, Buzzlina's loyal assistant
Cameron Ralph as Momo, a moth
Glenn Fraser as Kurt, a dung beetle
Heather Mitchell as Thekla, a spider
Stavroula Mountzouris as Lara, a ladybug, Willy's love interest
Uncredited as Jett, 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.
Uncredited as Jinn, a dragonfly, the rider of Dragonfly Express. Who helped Maya and their friends to stop the Hornets from fighting the Bees.
Uncredited as Webb, a spider, the music party in Jitterbug Hollow.
Uncredited as Mozz, a mosquito, the music party in Jitterbug Hollow.
Uncredited as Croak, a frog, the insect' predator.
Uncredited as Eek, a bat, the insect' predator.
Uncredited as Squeak, a bat, the insect' predator.

Production

Animation World Network announced in May 2013 that Universum Film would distribute all German rights of the film. 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. The film was produced in association with Flying Bark Productions and ZDF. 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.

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. 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.

Accolades

Award	Category	Subject
Asia Pacific Screen Award	Best Animated Feature Film	Barbara Stephen & Thorsten Wegener
Bavarian Film Award	Best Animated Film	Patrick Elemendorff & Thorsten Wegener
Screen Producers Australia Award	Best Feature Film Production	Barbara Stephen & Thorsten Wegener
Seattle International Film Festival	Youth Jury Award	Alexs Stadermann
Stockholm International Film Festival	Grand Jury Prize for Best Film	Alexs Stadermann

Sequel

TBA