SIEFF – WINNER
OPENING FILM

Winner of Excellence Prize in the Korean Competition Section
at the 2024 Seoul International Eco Film Festival.

Through subtle storytelling and poetic imagery, A Bee and a Silkworm beautifully examines human connection, the quiet power of nature, and the profound impact of fleeting encounters. With a delicate balance of emotion and reflection, this film invites viewers to contemplate the intricate threads that bind us to both each other and the natural world. A thought-provoking journey that lingers long after the credits roll, it sets the perfect tone for the festival’s Circle of Life theme.

비밀의 화원
A Bee and a Silkworm

South Korea | 2024 | 95min | Drama
Languages: Korean
Subtitles: English

Director: KIM Sungwhan

Retired botanist Dongho lives alone, tending to his greenhouse. He cares for wild bees, makes seed bombs, and struggles to preserve the alpine plants he brought down from Mt. Baekdu a decade ago.

One day, he encounters twelve-year-old Bom, who visits his yard in search of mulberry leaves for the silkworms Bom is raising. As a bond is cultivated between them, Bom suddenly disappears, leaving only a note and a silkworm kit behind. After waiting a few days, Dong-ho sets out with a sense of foreboding to find Bom.