20,000 Species of Bees

Aitor (Sofía Otero) is eight years old and goes with her two siblings and her mother Ane (Patricia López Arnaiz) to the Basque Country in the summer. Between chaotic family gatherings, beehives at his great-aunt Lourdes and beeswax sculptures in his grandfather's old studio, Aitor tries to maneuver between growing discomfort and confusion about her own identity. Doesn't Cóco sound better than Aitor? And how is it that everyone knows who they are, but she doesn't?

Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren's feature film debut is a painful and beautiful film about growing up and not fitting in, which quietly takes on a topic that is often polarizing in today's debate climate. Niazen, a regional association for families with transgender minors, was consulted to ensure a story as credible as possible. The lead role is brilliantly played by Sofía Otero, who at the age of eight is the youngest person ever to win the Silver Bear for Best Lead Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival.