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 DVD/VOD: LUST FOR GOLD: A RACE AGAINST TIME

Coming to DVD/VOD today, Tuesday, June 15:
LUST FOR GOLD: A RACE AGAINST TIME

Director:
Robert May

World Premiere:
Theatrical (April 2021)

About:
Boyhood dreams of treasure lead to a lifelong search when a retired missile scientist makes a monumental discovery and tempts fate for fortune as he hatches a secret plan to prove his claim.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

On DVD: US KIDS

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, May 15:
US KIDS

Director:
Kim A Snyder

World Premiere:
Sundance 2020

Select Festivals:
Sheffield, Doc Edge, Mountainfilm, Full Frame, Miami, Martha’s Vineyard, NewportFilm, Calgary, GlobeDocs, Bergen, Hamptons, Mill Valley

About:
The young survivors of the Parkland school shooting are followed over a transformative year and a half.

My pre-Sundance profile of the doc may be found here.

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

On DVD: TINY: THE LIFE OF ERIN BLACKWELL

Photo by Mary Ellen Mark

Coming to DVD via the Criterion Collection tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15:
TINY: THE LIFE OF ERIN BLACKWELL

Director:
Martin Bell

World Premiere:
Seattle 2016

Select Festivals:
BAMCinemaFest, Reykjavik

About:
A sequel to STREETWISE, focusing on the indelible subject, Tiny.

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On DVD: STREETWISE

Photo by Mary Ellen Mark

Coming to DVD via the Criterion Collection tomorrow, Tuesday, June 15:
STREETWISE

Director:
Martin Bell

World Premiere:
Theatrical release (October 1984)

Select Festivals:
Sundance, Berlin

Notable Recognition:
The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.

About:
The stories of homeless and runaway teenagers living on Seattle’s margins in 1983.

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On TV/VOD: REVOLUTION RENT

Coming to HBO and HBO Max tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15:
REVOLUTION RENT

Director:
Andy Señor Jr, Victor Patrick Alvarez

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2019

Select Festivals:
Miami, Key West

About:
A Cuban American reconnects with his roots as he attempts to stage RENT on Cuba.

The film screened as part of DOC NYC, for which our program notes read:
Theater director Andy is invited to bring the musical RENT to Cuba, his exiled parents’ homeland. Embarking on a personal journey to reclaim his complicated heritage, and to bridge cultural boundaries with Jonathan Larson’s inspiring musical, Andy is faced with the daunting task of opening the show just 12 weeks from first rehearsals. Will he be able to hone the raw young local talent he’s cast, contend with technical challenges and address RENT‘s controversial themes in Cuban society?

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In Virtual Release: LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS

Coming to the Metrograph’s virtual cinema today, Monday, June 14:
LAND OF SILENCE AND DARKNESS

Director:
Werner Herzog

World Premiere:
Mannheim-Heidelberg 1971

Select Festivals:
Cannes, New York, One World, Thessaloniki Doc

About:
A blind and deaf woman is on a mission to help others with the same disabilities.

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On VOD: PICTURE A SCIENTIST

Coming to Netflix this Sunday, June 13:
PICTURE A SCIENTIST

Director:
Sharon Shattuck, Ian Cheney

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Athena, InScience, Science on Screen

About:
An exploration of systemic discrimination and bias against women and especially women of color in STEM fields.

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On VOD: CITY HALL

Coming to MUBI today, Friday, June 11:
CITY HALL

Director:
Frederick Wiseman

World Premiere:
Venice 2020

Select Festivals:
Toronto, New York, IDFA, RIDM, Hong Kong, Busan, Jihlava, Camden, Hamburg, Denver, Glasgow, Philadelphia

About:
A kaleidoscopic look at the inner workings of the city of Boston explores larger ideas about a country’s steps toward inclusivity and social reform.

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Frameline 2021: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 45th Frameline

Dates:
June 10-27

About:
The oldest LGBTQ film festival in the world presents just under 50 new features and episodics in a hybrid format, including approximately 20 works of nonfiction.

Continue reading

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

On DVD: HOT HOUSE

New to DVD this week:
HOT HOUSE

Director:
Shimon Dotan

World Premiere:
Jerusalem 2006

Select Festivals:
Sundance, Human Rights Watch, Watch Docs

About:
A look at how Israeli prisons have encouraged the development of the next generation of Palestinian leaders as well as future terrorist threats.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases