Screening + Q&A: Academy-Award winning "Keeper"

2024 Student Academy Award Gold Medalist
In consideration for the 97th Academy Awards for Best Short Documentary

For Flynn, a single father and empty nester in the Bronx, beekeeping is a source of calm, wisdom, and healing. Undeterred by his severe allergy to bee stings, he cares for hives across the city—including several inside his daughter Alaura’s childhood bedroom.

When Flynn receives a life-threatening diagnosis, he reluctantly steps away from the bees under Alaura’s care. Battling cancer while fretting about his hives’ survival, Flynn prepares his daughter to continue living powerfully—with or without him.
Join us after the screening for a conversation with director Hannah Rafkin, Academy Award winner for Best Student Short, alongside film subjects Sean Malik Flynn and Alaura Flynn (Boogie Down Bronx Honey). The discussion, moderated by BDC alum and Action Lab Documentary Fellow Pamela Y. Rozon, will be followed by an audience Q&A session.
Directed, shot, produced, and edited by Hannah Rafkin
Executive produced by Maro Chermayeff, Judith Helfand, and Sam Pollard
39 min.

Bios:
Hannah Rafkin (@hannahrafkin) is a queer documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. Her film Keeper won the 2024 Gold Student Academy Award, received a grant from the NYC Women’s Fund in association with The New York Foundation for the Arts, and had its World Premiere at DOC NYC. Her films Crush Icebergs, The Clockmaker and In Stitches have been selected to screen at NewFest, DOC NYC, the Margaret Mead Film Festival and more. Hannah is a 2023 graduate of the Social Documentary MFA Program at the School of Visual Arts, where she was awarded the Paula Rhodes Memorial Award for Exceptional Achievement.
Bronx-born Sean Malik Flynn (@boogiedownbronxhoney) is dedicated to rescuing honeybees, keeping swarms in his apartment until he finds safe homes for them, making him a true urban beekeeper. Despite being highly allergic to stings, Flynn has kept bees throughout NYC for seven years. A former Marine Corps Military Policeman, Flynn brings his "Semper Fi" commitment to every hive, ensuring bees stay healthy and producing pure, Bronx-sourced honey.
Since the age of 12, Alaura “AJ” Flynn (@alaura.flynn) has been devoted to working with bees. A graduate of SUNY Cobleskill’s K-9 Training and Management program, AJ brings her infectious laugh, vibrant energy, and unique style to every endeavor. Whether she’s caring for bees or training dogs, AJ is wholeheartedly committed to their well-being—rain or shine.
Pamela Y. Rozon (@pam_snaps) is a photojournalist and videographer who resides in the South Bronx. She is a 2024 graduate from Hunter College with a BA in Media Studies and minor in Environmental Sciences. Rozon is an alumnus of the Youth Photo League (YPL) program with a passion for documenting the social, economic, and environmental impacts that climate change has on her Bronx community. She is a 2024 Action Lab Documentary Fellow.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Bronx Documentary Center, 614 Courtlandt Avenue, Bronx, United States