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 VOD: BROADWAY RISING

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, December 27:
BROADWAY RISING

Director:
Amy Rice

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2022

About:
Charting the Broadway community’s journey from the almost overnight shut down due to the pandemic to the paths essential theater workers took on their road back to the stage.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

Streaming: WILDCAT

Coming to Amazon Prime Video this Friday, December 30:
WILDCAT

Director:
Melissa Lesh, Trevor Beck Frost

World Premiere:
Telluride 2022

Select Festivals:
IDFA, Montclair, Heartland, St Louis, Hawai’i, AFI Fest

About:
A British war vet crippled by depression and PTSD attempts to find healing by raising an orphaned baby ocelot to maturity deep in the Peruvian jungle.

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On TV: GROUCHO & CAVETT

Coming to PBS’s American Masters tomorrow, Tuesday, December 27:
GROUCHO & CAVETT

Director:
Robert S Bader

World Premiere:
Hamptons 2022

About:
A portrait of the enduring friendship between television personality Dick Cavett and his mentor, iconic comedian Groucho Marx.

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On VOD: THE SUPER 8 YEARS

New to VOD this week:
THE SUPER 8 YEARS

Director:
David Ernaux-Briot, Annie Ernaux

World Premiere:
Cannes 2022

Select Festivals:
New York, IDFA, Busan, Zurich, São Paulo, Rome, Ji.hlava

About:
Super 8 films, shot between 1972 and 1981, reveal not only a family archive but a testimony to the pastimes, lifestyle, and aspirations of a social class in the decade after 1968.

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On DVD: TAKEN HOSTAGE

New to DVD this week:
TAKEN HOSTAGE

Director:
Robert Stone

World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (November 2022)

About:
Unfolding like a political thriller, the story of the Iran hostage crisis, when 52 American diplomats, Marines and civilians were held hostage at the American Embassy in Tehran on November 4, 1979.

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95th Oscars: Best Documentary Shortlist Announced

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences announced the shortlists for Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short today. Congratulations to all the filmmakers – especially the Sundance Film Festival alumni represented.

The official lists are below. The final nominees will be announced on January 24.

Documentary Feature:

ALL THAT BREATHES
ALL THE BEAUTY AND THE BLOODSHED
BAD AXE
CHILDREN OF THE MIST
DESCENDANT
FIRE OF LOVE
HALLELUJAH: LEONARD COHEN, A JOURNEY, A SONG
HIDDEN LETTERS
A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS
THE JANES
LAST FLIGHT HOME
MOONAGE DAYDREAM
NAVALNY
RETROGRADE
THE TERRITORY

Documentary Short Subject:
38 at the Garden
American Justice on Trial: People v Newton
Anastasia
Angola Do You Hear Us? Voices from a Plantation Prison
As Far as They Can Run
The Elephant Whisperers
The Flagmakers
Happiness Is £4 Million
Haulout
Holding Moses
How Do You Measure a Year?
The Martha Mitchell Effect
Nuisance Bear
Shut Up and Paint
Stranger at the Gate

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

On DVD: HARRIET TUBMAN: VISIONS OF FREEDOM

Courtesy PBS

New to DVD this week:
HARRIET TUBMAN: VISIONS OF FREEDOM

Director:
Stanley Nelson

World Premiere:
PBS broadcast (October 2022)

About:
A portrait of the inspiring woman who repeatedly risked her own life and freedom to liberate others from slavery.

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In Theatres: WILDCAT

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Wednesday, December 21:
WILDCAT

Director:
Melissa Lesh, Trevor Beck Frost

World Premiere:
Telluride 2022

Select Festivals:
IDFA, Montclair, Heartland, St Louis, Hawai’i, AFI Fest

About:
A British war vet crippled by depression and PTSD attempts to find healing by raising an orphaned baby ocelot to maturity deep in the Peruvian jungle.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

Streaming: BALLETS RUSSES

From the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo production of “Rouge et Noir.” | Copyright 2005, Geller/Goldfine Productions | Courtesy Zeitgeist Films

Coming to OVID today, Tuesday, December 20:
BALLETS RUSSES

Director:
Dan Geller, Dayna Goldfine

World Premiere:
Sundance 2005

Select Festivals:
Toronto, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Milwaukee

About:
An intimate portrait of a group of pioneering artists who gave birth to modern ballet.

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

On VOD: BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, December 20:
BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER

Director:
Nina Menkes

World Premiere:
Sundance 2022

Select Festivals:
Berlin, CPH:DOX, IDFA, Karlovy Vary, Thessaloniki Doc, BFI London, Jeonju, Istanbul, Beldocs, Docaviv, Frameline, Encounters, Bergen, Ambulante

About:
Based on Nina Menkes’ acclaimed talk “Sex & Power: The Visual Language of Cinema,” this is a mesmerizing journey into how shot design intersects with the twin epidemics of sexual abuse/assault and employment discrimination against women.

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