Author Archives: basiltsiokos

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About basiltsiokos

Basil Tsiokos is a Senior Programmer for the Sundance Film Festival, focusing on nonfiction features. He was most recently with DOC NYC for nearly a decade, where he served as Director of Programming since 2014, and with the Nantucket Film Festival as its Film Program Director. Prior to those positions, Basil was the longtime Artistic and Executive Director of NewFest. He has been affiliated with Sundance since 2005 as a Programming Associate. Basil serves on the feature nominating committees for the International Documentary Association Awards and Cinema Eye Honors. He has written about documentaries daily since 2010 on what (not) to doc. Basil holds a Masters degree from New York University and two undergraduate degrees from Stanford University.

On TV: THE HUNT FOR PLANET B

Coming to CNN tomorrow, Saturday, November 20:
THE HUNT FOR PLANET B

Director:
Nathaniel Kahn

World Premiere:
SXSW 2021

About:
A behind-the-scenes look at NASA’s high-stakes James Webb Space Telescope, following a pioneering group of scientists—many of them women—on their quest to find another Earth among the stars.

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In Theatres: THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Coming to theatres today, Friday, November 19:
THE REAL CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Director:
James Spinney, Peter Middleton

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
BFI London, Camden, Zurich, Hamptons, AFI Fest

About:
The definitive story of cinema’s most iconic figure, from an impoverished childhood in London through a spectacular rise to fame, and onto the Hollywood limelight and a self-imposed exile. 

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In Theatres & On VOD: BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD

Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, November 19:
BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD

Director:
Brent Wilson

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021

About:
The Beach Boys’ lead songwriter takes a drive around Los Angeles with Rolling Stone editor and longtime friend Jason Fine in this nonlinear cinematic memoir, as vivid and multifaceted as his music.

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In Theatres: THE FIRST WAVE

Coming to theatres today, Friday, November 19:
THE FIRST WAVE

Director:
Matthew Heineman

World Premiere:
Hamptons 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, BFI London, Busan, Hot Springs Doc, Philadelphia, Montclair, Savannah, AFI Fest

About:
A powerful look at the doctors, nurses, and patients on the frontlines during the “first wave” of COVID-19 in New York City from March to June 2020.

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On TV: DEAN MARTIN: KING OF COOL

Coming to TCM tomorrow, Friday, November 19:
DEAN MARTIN: KING OF COOL

Director:
Tom Donahue

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021

About:
An in-depth biography exploring Dean Martin’s varied career, including his complicated relationships with Jerry Lewis, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr, and others.

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Streaming: PROCESSION

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Friday, November 19:
PROCESSION

Director:
Robert Greene

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Camden, Heartland, Montclair, Philadelphia, AFI Fest

About:
Six men, each abused by Catholic priests and, decades later, still in search of peace collaborate with the director and a team of therapists to create short films confronting their pasts.

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In Theatres & On VOD: CAPTAINS OF ZAATARI

Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, November 19:
CAPTAINS OF ZAATARI

Director:
Ali El Arabi

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Visions du Reel, DMZ Docs, San Francisco, Seattle, Moscow, Melbourne, El Gouna, Docslisboa

About:
Teenage best friends share soccer dreams while living in the titular Syrian refugee camp.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Releases, Sundance

In Theatres & On VOD: KURT VONNEGUT: UNSTUCK IN TIME

Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, November 19:
KURT VONNEGUT: UNSTUCK IN TIME

Director:
Robert B Weide, Don Argott

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021

About:
Decades in the making, this biography of Kurt Vonnegut covers his years as a struggling writer to his eventual superstardom. 

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Streaming: THE LAST SEASON

Last_Season_01_web


Coming to OVID.tv today, Thursday, November 18:
THE LAST SEASON

Director:
Sara Dosa

World Premiere:
San Francisco 2014

Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Hot Docs, Mountainfilm, Big Sky, Sebastopol Doc, United Nations Association, Seattle Asian American

About:
A portrait of a mushroom foraging clan.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On TV & Streaming: JAGGED

Coming to HBO and HBO Max tomorrow, Thursday, November 18:
JAGGED

Director:
Alison Klayman

World Premiere:
Toronto 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, GlobeDocs, Sound Unseen, Woodstock, Heartland

About:
Alanis Morissette reflects on her 1990s rise to rock stardom.

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