A person in a beekeeping outfit works with a hive

Keeper: Screening & Conversation

June 4, 2025

2 to 3 p.m. | Ross Hall

Two people in beekeeper outfits pose for the cover of a movie poster labeled "Keeper" In celebration of the opening day of NYBG’s Farmers Market, NYBG presents a screening of award-winning documentary Keeper featuring market vendor and community members Sean Malik Flynn and Alaura “AJ” Flynn of Boogie Down Bronx Honey.

Academy Award Shortlist for Best Documentary Short (2025) and Student Academy Award Winner Gold Medalist (2024), Keeper tells the story of Flynn, a single father and empty nester in the Bronx. For Flynn, beekeeping is a source of calm, wisdom, and healing. Undeterred by his severe allergy to bee stings, he cares for colonies all across New York City—including four hives inside his apartment. When a cancer diagnosis threatens Flynn’s life, he’s forced to step away from the bees and accept the care of his 19-year-old daughter Alaura, preparing her to continue living powerfully—with or without him.

A Q&A will follow the screening featuring Sean Malik Flynn, AJ Flynn, and the film’s director and filmmaker, Hannah Rafkin.

Ross Hall will open at 1:30 p.m. for seating, with the screening beginning at 2 p.m. This event is included with Garden admission; no registration is required. Guests are invited to enjoy the NYBG Farmers Market prior to the screening for a selection of lunch items, fresh produce, and—of course—honey for sale.

About the Speakers

Hannah Rafkin is a queer documentary filmmaker based in Brooklyn, New York. Her film KEEPER was shortlisted for an Oscar, 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 ICEBERG, THE CLOCKMAKER, and IN STITCHES have been selected to screen at NewFest, DOC NYC, the Margaret Mead Film Festival, Encounters South African International Documentary Festival, and more. Hannah is a 2023 graduate of the Social Documentary MFA Program at the School of Visual Arts and a 2017 graduate of Bowdoin College.

A person in a beekeeping outfit poses for a photo outdoors

Sean Malik Flynn is dedicated to rescuing honeybees, keeping swarms in his Bronx 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 10 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, which he sells at farmers markets across the city through the family business, Boogie Down Bronx Honey. Recently, Flynn has devoted himself to educating young people across NYC about the importance of pollinators.

Alaura “AJ” Flynn has been devoted to working with bees since the age of 12. 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.

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