Activist Maya Penn revealed the trailer and starred in her upcoming directorial film Hazel: The Power of Pollinators.
Ben dropped off the trailer at South By Southwest during a feature session to empower the next generation to build a better future.
Asali: Power of The Pollinators is an animated short adventure film that follows a honeybee, Hazel, after she meets a group of pollinators and a human ecologist. The unlikely group slowly saves Hazel, her family, and their home from a brutal, deadly force.
Penn stars alongside Whoopi Goldberg, Monique Coleman (“High School Musical”), Ronen Rubinstein (“9-1-1 Lone Star”), Joy Ofudo (Mighty Express) and activist Lupita Pineda. Viola Davis and Julius Tennon serve as executive producers. In addition to starring in and directing the short film, Bean is also animating and producing the film with her production company, Upenndo! production.
Prior to her directorial debut and for the past 15 years, she has pursued an activist for sustainability and environmental education. The 23-year-old activist founded global sustainable brand Maya Ideas when she was just eight years old. Three years later, Ben Maya founded Ideas 4 Planet.
By the age of 16, Ben received praise from Bryce. Barack Obama for Distinguished Achievement in Environmental Stewardship. Prior to her administration, Bean made history when she was commissioned to create an animated film for the opening of the first-ever digital report presented to the US Congress. In addition to her non-profit and political activism, Maya holds a degree in Circular Economics and Sustainable Business from Cambridge Business School and is studying biomimetic design.
Check out the “Hazel: Pollinator Power” trailer below.
