SINCE the death of her beloved husband, Helen (Academy Award-winner Ellen Burstyn) has lived alone, sharing words of wisdom and her love of literature with her teenage grandson Peter (Matthew Barnes) during his weekly visits.
With Peter leaving for college soon, Helen’s daughter, Laura (Elizabeth Mitchell), is eager to pack her mum off to a nearby retirement community, but fiercely independent Helen will not consider it.
When a fire leaves her home in need of repairs, Helen begrudgingly takes up temporary residence in Pine Grove Senior Community, where she is greeted by a trio of geriatric “mean girls”– hard-bitten Janet (Jane Curtin), man-crazy Margot (Ann-Margret) and plainspoken Sally (Loretta Devine).
The queen bees of Pine Grove put Helen to the test, but she has no intention of playing their games – until they need a fourth for bridge.
As Helen begins to bond with new friends at Pine Grove, she becomes excited by the prospect of life’s second act, even finding a hint of romance with Dan (James Caan), a widower also new to the community.
After having given up any hope of love, she finds herself falling for Dan, but is he too good to be true?
A heartwarming and humorous look at life’s second act, Queen Bees is inspired by the true story of producer Harrison Powell’s own grandmother’s second chance at love after moving into a retirement community.
Queen Bees also stars French Stewart (3rd Rock From the Sun), Alec Mapa (Ugly Betty) and Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future).
Queen Bees is directed by Michael Lembeck (Tooth Fairy, The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3).
The screenplay is written by Donald Martin (Milton’s Secret, Operation Christmas) from a story by Harrison Powell (The Best of Enemies, 90 Minutes in Heaven).
Producers are Fred Bernstein, Harrison Powell and Dominique Telson, alongside director of photography Alice Brooks.
Queen Bees is now showing at Swan Hill Showbiz Cinemas.
