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: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD

Photo by Mario Tursi

Coming to theatres today, Friday, September 24:
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOY IN THE WORLD

Director:
Kristina Lindström, Kristian Petri

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Thessaloniki Doc, Hong Kong, Cleveland, Moscow, Revelation Perth, Melbourne

About:
A revelatory look at the lasting impact of fame and objectification on a young male actor.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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

In Theatres & On VOD: MAN IN THE FIELD: THE LIFE AND ART OF JIM DENEVAN

Coming to theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, September 24:
MAN IN THE FIELD: THE LIFE AND ART OF JIM DENEVAN

Director:
Patrick Trefz

World Premiere:
Santa Barbara 2020

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs

About:
A portrait of the artist and chef behind Outstanding in the Field, a radical alternative to the conventional dining experience.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

New York Film Festival 2021: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 59th New York Film Festival

Dates:
September 24-October 10

About:
This fall cinephile mainstay returns to an all in-person event this year, presenting more than 50 new and recent features, among them just 13 works of nonfiction, as noted below.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations

On VOD: BUDDY GUY: THE BLUES CHASE THE BLUES AWAY

New to VOD this week:
BUDDY GUY: THE BLUES CHASE THE BLUES AWAY

Director:
Devin Amar, Matt Mitchener, Charles Todd

World Premiere:
American Masters PBS broadcast (July 2021)

About:
An exploration of the life and career of the legendary blues guitarist, a pioneer of Chicago’s West Side sound and major influence on rock titans like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

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Streaming: CURSE OF THE CHIPPENDALES

Coming to Discovery+ this Friday, September 24:
CURSE OF THE CHIPPENDALES

Director:
Jesse Vile

World Premiere:
Discovery+ (September 2021)

About:
A docuseries about the dark side of the 1980s all-male striptease dance troupe.

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Streaming: TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

Coming to MUBI tomorrow, Thursday, September 23:
TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

Director:
Hannah Jayanti

World Premiere:
Rotterdam 2020

Select Festivals:
Camden, DOXA, Sheffield, Dok Leipzig, San Francisco DocFest, Calgary Underground, Bogota, Guth Gafa, Brooklyn, New Horizons

About:
A speculative documentary about time and how we weave the past into the present and our possible future. 

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On VOD: WHAT WE LEFT UNFINISHED

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, September 21:
WHAT WE LEFT UNFINISHED

Director:
Mariam Ghani

World Premiere:
Berlin 2019

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Sheffield, San Francisco, Kerala, Nashville, Rhode Island, Heartland, Hot Springs Doc, Philadelphia Asian American, St Louis, WatchDocs, San Diego Asian American, Cinema Verite, Goteborg, DocPoint Talinn, Ann Arbor

About:
A meditation on incomplete films made in Afghanistan during periods of instability between 1978-1992.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

In Theatres: THE VILLAGE DETECTIVE: A SONG CYCLE

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, September 22:
THE VILLAGE DETECTIVE: A SONG CYCLE

Director:
Bill Morrison

World Premiere:
Moscow 2021

Select Festivals:
Rotterdam, Telluride, Melbourne, New Horizonz

About:
A Soviet film from 1969 is found in an Icelandic fisherman’s net, and the filmography of its leading actor offers a portal into a history that has endured on celluloid.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

On DVD: DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, September 21:
DOWNSTREAM TO KINSHASA

Director:
Dieudo Hamadi

World Premiere:
Cannes 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Toronto, IDFA, DOK Leipzig, RIDM, Singapore, Seattle, Doclisboa, Leeds, Cleveland, AFI Fest

About:
Survivors of Congo’s Six-Day War seek long-delayed compensation from their government.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

On DVD: BARBARA LEE: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, September 21:
BARBARA LEE: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER

Director:
Abby Ginzberg

World Premiere:
San Francisco 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, San Francisco Jewish, Pan African, Cleveland

About:
A portrait of the outspoken US Congresswoman.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
An intimate, inspiring, and timely portrait of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a true pioneer of American civil rights who was the lone voice in opposition to the authorization of military force after the September 11th attacks. A unique selection of political commentators, activists, politicians, and family members add depth to the story of the highest-ranking Black woman in the US Congress. Uncompromising and conscientious to the core, she is its most steadfast voice for peace, and for economic and racial justice.  

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases