Movies: Like bees to honey (2024) by Davide Casagrande, Francesco Lazzarini: A Promise, A Road, A Chance at Redemption

Breaking the Chains from Venice to Agrigento

Dennis is a man struggling with drug addiction who promises Cecilia he will cross Italy from Venice to Agrigento without relapsing. When a relapse threatens to undo all his efforts, he sets out on a journey of self-redemption, carrying Cecilia’s photo as a talisman. Their paths intertwine as Cecilia, a young woman navigating her first love and personal challenges, becomes part of the emotional geography of Dennis’s pilgrimage. Directed by Davide Casagrande and Francesco Lazzarini, this is their second collaboration after L’oca è fuori. The film was shot in multiple Italian locations (Venice, Milan, Turin, Florence, Rome, Naples, Realmonte near Agrigento), with music by Antonio Di Matteo. It deals with youth alienation, parental absence, addiction, revenge porn, and bullying. It premiered in Italian cinemas in early 2025, then released on streaming via Amazon Prime Video from September 8, 2025. It also received recognition at Italian festivals—awarded Best Drama at the Veneto International Film Festival (2024), finalist at Ferrara, and nominated at Salerno.

Why to Recommend Movie: Raw, Heartfelt & Beautifully Wrought

• Intense emotional journey — Dennis’s vow and his struggle to stay sober create a tight dramatic arc that feels both painful and hopeful. The film doesn’t shy from showing the weight of addiction but also its possibility of redemption.

• Strong dual storyline — Cecilia’s difficulties with love, bullying, and privacy (revenge porn) mirror and contrast Dennis’s battles, giving the film richness and emotional balance. Their stories overlap but remain distinct, increasing the stakes.

• Stunning Italian landscapes — From Venice’s canals to Agrigento’s coast, the locations become part of the story, serving as metaphors for distance, longing, and transformation. The journey across such varied terrain also underlines how far Dennis must go—not just in distance, but within himself.

• Solid direction & soundtrack — Casagrande and Lazzarini’s direction leans into both realism and lyricism. The score by Antonio Di Matteo enhances moments of quiet reflection and crisis without overwhelming the story.

• Festival & audience response — The film’s recognition in Italian festival circuits shows its resonance. Its streaming release quickly brought attention from viewers, placing it among the top films viewed and searched in Italy soon after its debut on Amazon Prime Video.

Where to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/it/film/come-le-api-il-miele (Italy)

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/it/title/tt34866710/

About movie: https://filmfreeway.com/DavideandFrancescoProduzione

What is the Trend Followed: Road-to-Redemption & Youth Realism

The film is part of a wave of European cinema focusing on intimate, socially grounded narratives.

• Road as metaphor — Like other redemption dramas, the physical journey mirrors the psychological one, allowing growth to be measured in both miles and moments.

• Social realism in youth stories — The film tackles revenge porn, bullying, and addiction in a raw, unsentimental way that speaks to current generational issues.

• Minimalism with emotional depth — Instead of action-heavy plotting, the film favors quiet moments and small gestures, trusting the audience to stay engaged through honesty and authenticity.

Director’sVision: Casagrande & Lazzarini’s Intimate Lens

• They present Dennis’s addiction journey without glamor or melodrama, portraying relapse as both terrifying and heartbreakingly human. The approach is compassionate but unsparing.

• Their framing choices capture the weight of travel, with long stretches of road scenes contrasted by intimate, handheld close-ups during moments of temptation. This juxtaposition creates a rhythm that mirrors Dennis’s emotional highs and lows.

• Cecilia’s story is given equal narrative respect, making her more than a love interest. Her moments of pain and resilience deepen the film’s message about vulnerability and survival.

Themes: Healing, Pain, and Courage to Move Forward

• Addiction and redemption — Dennis’s vow is both a curse and a lifeline, forcing him to confront the triggers and traumas that hold him back.

• Youth and exposure — Cecilia’s experiences with revenge porn and bullying show how fragile identity and dignity can be in the digital era, making her arc painfully timely.

• The road as rebirth — The cross-country journey becomes a metaphor for leaving behind past mistakes and moving toward a freer, lighter future.

• Forgiveness and connection — The film asks whether people can truly forgive themselves and rebuild relationships after their worst moments.

Key success factors.dd What Makes This Film Shine

• Performances that resonate — The cast, particularly Samuele Ferri as Dennis, delivers naturalistic performances that never feel forced. Their emotional authenticity allows viewers to fully invest.

• Visual storytelling — Each city visited has its own color palette and emotional tone, reflecting Dennis’s shifting state of mind. The cinematography treats the road as both a literal and spiritual space.

• Engagement with social issues — By confronting bullying and revenge porn, the film taps into urgent conversations, making it not only a drama but also a cultural reflection.

• Critical and audience approval — Its festival accolades and streaming popularity suggest it has struck a chord with both critics and general audiences, cementing its reputation as an important contemporary Italian film.

Awards & Nominations.dd Festival Darling Turned Streaming Hit

The film won Best Drama at the Veneto International Film Festival 2024, was a finalist at Ferrara, and received nominations at Salerno. Its critical acclaim helped secure distribution and a successful streaming launch, making it one of Italy’s most-watched new drama films in September 2025.

CriticsReception.dd Honest, Moving, and Resonant

• Italian film critics praised its honesty, noting that it avoids sentimentality while still being deeply moving. They highlighted the balance between Dennis’s and Cecilia’s arcs, calling it “a double journey of growth and pain.”

• Some reviewers felt the pacing was intentionally slow and contemplative, which might test less patient viewers, but agreed this choice served the story’s emotional realism.

• Audience response has been highly positive, with strong ratings on IMDb (around 8.7/10) and Prime Video reviews mentioning its emotional impact and relatable struggles.

Overall summary: Critics and viewers agree that Come le api il miele is a deeply affecting road movie that blends social commentary with personal redemption, making it a standout in Italian contemporary cinema.

Reviews.dd Road, Redemption & Raw Humanity

• Strengths: Powerful lead performance, emotional depth, and sensitive treatment of difficult issues make the film both heartbreaking and hopeful. The road journey provides a natural dramatic structure that keeps viewers engaged.

• Weaknesses: Its slow pacing and quiet tone may not appeal to those looking for fast-moving drama, but for patient audiences, the emotional payoff is significant.

Overall: Reviews position this film as a meditative yet gripping experience — a work that lingers long after the credits roll.

Movie Trend: Socially Engaged Road Dramas

The film follows the trend of intimate European road movies that use physical travel to explore emotional landscapes. Like The Great Beauty or A Ciambra, it layers individual stories over a backdrop of Italy’s diverse geography, making the setting an integral part of the storytelling.

Social Trend: Spotlight on Youth Trauma and Mental Health

It reflects a wider cultural focus on mental health, addiction recovery, and the impact of digital-age bullying. The inclusion of revenge porn and parental neglect in the narrative places it squarely in the conversation about protecting vulnerable youth and encouraging open dialogue about trauma.

Final Verdict: A Touching Journey that Stays With You

Come le api il miele is not just a road movie — it is a meditation on pain, hope, and the courage to keep moving forward. With strong performances, poetic visuals, and social relevance, it is a must-watch for those who appreciate cinema that is both beautiful and brutally honest.