Akeelah and the Bee (2006) - Synopsis

A heart-warming drama, AKEELAH AND THE BEE is the story of Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), a precocious eleven-year-old girl from south Los Angeles with a gift for words. Despite the objections of her mother Tanya (Angela Bassett), Akeelah enters various spelling contests, for which she is tutored by the forthright Dr. Larabee (Laurence Fishburne); her principal Mr. Welch (Curtis Armstrong) and the proud residents of her neighborhood. Akeelah’s aptitude wins her a spot in the Scripps National Spelling Bee and in turn unites her neighborhood who witness the courage and inspiration of one amazing little girl.



A Lionsgate Films and 2929 Entertainment production, AKEELAH AND THE BEE was written and directed by Doug Atchison. The film’s producers are Sid Ganis, Nancy Ganis, Michael Romersa, Daniel Llewelyn and Laurence Fishburne; executive producers are Todd Wagner, Mark Cuban, Marc Butan, Helen Sugland, Michael Burns, Michael Paseornek and Tom Ortenberg.