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.

In Theatres: SPEER GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

Coming to theatres today, Friday, October 29:
SPEER GOES TO HOLLYWOOD

Director:
Vanessa Lapa

World Premiere:
Berlin 2020

Select Festivals:
Telluride, Moscow, Jerusalem

About:
How high-ranking Nazi Albert Speer was able to rewrite his past.

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In Theatres & On VOD: KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY

Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, October 29:
KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY

Director:
Posy Dixon

World Premiere:
Doc’n Roll 2019

Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Frameline, Indielisboa, Melbourne Doc, Thessaloniki Doc, BFI Flare, Calgary Underground

About:
After three decades of releasing album after album in relative obscurity, a Black transgender trailblazing musician finally finds success at the age of 74.

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In Theatres: BULLETPROOF

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 29:
BULLETPROOF

Director:
Todd Chandler

World Premiere:
SXSW 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, IDFA, Dokufest, Camden, Philadelphia, DOK Leipzig, Jihlava, Doclisboa, Maryland, Tempo Doc, Melbourne, DMZ Docs

About:
A provocative exploration of fear and American violence that interrogates what it means to be safe in school in the United States.

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In Theatres: ATTICA

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, October 29:
ATTICA

Director:
Stanley Nelson, Traci Curry

World Premiere:
Toronto 2021

Select Festivals:
Hot Springs Doc, Montclair

About:
An examination of the largest prison uprising in US history through dozens of new interviews with inmates, journalists, and other witnesses.

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On VOD: THE CAPOTE TAPES

New to VOD this week:
THE CAPOTE TAPES

Director:
Ebs Burnough

World Premiere:
Toronto 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hamptons, Rio, Provincetown, Docs Against Gravity, RiverRun

About:
Using audio recordings, animation, and new on-camera interviews with people who knew him, the film explores the impact of Truman Capote’s explosive final, unfinished novel.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On VOD: RED HEAVEN

Now on AppleTV:
RED HEAVEN

Director:
Lauren DeFilippo, Katherine Gorringe

World Premiere:
SXSW 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Hot Docs, Big Sky Doc, Fargo, Thin Line

About:
In this prescient exploration of self-imposed quarantine, six volunteers embark on a one-year mission in a Mars simulation to further research for space exploration.

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Jihlava 2021 Overview

Festival:
The 25th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival

Dates:
October 26-31

About:
Upwards of 80 new and recent documentary features are presented at this well-regarded Czech event.

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On TV: THINGS WE DARE NOT DO

Coming to PBS’s POV today, Monday, October 18:
THINGS WE DARE NOT DO

Director:
Bruno Santamaría

World Premiere:
Hot Docs 2020

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, DocPoint, DMZ Docs, Lima, FICUNAM, BelDocs, Docs Againat Gravity, DOK.Fest München

About:
An ephemeral profile of a Mexican teenager on the cusp of adulthood, conflicted between the desire to express their true sexuality and the expectations of family.

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DOK Leipzig 2021 Overview

Festival:
The 64th DOK Leipzig

Dates:
October 25-November 14

About:
More than 40 new and recent documentary features screen in the hybrid edition of this longstanding German event.

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In Theatres: LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER: THE RETURN OF MAD DOGS & ENGLISHMEN

Coming to theatres today, Friday, October 22:
LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER: THE RETURN OF MAD DOGS & ENGLISHMEN

Director:
Jesse Lauter

World Premiere:
Woodstock 2021

Select Festivals:
Raindance

About:
The Grammy winning music act Tedeschi Trucks Band reforms the Joe Cocker backing band Mad Dogs & Englishmen, with original leader Leon Russell, to perform a one-night tribute concert.

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