Author Archives: basiltsiokos

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.

January 9, 2018 · 11:15 AM

On VOD: DINA

Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, January 9:
DINA

Directors:
Antonio Santini and Dan Sickles

Premiere:
Sundance 2017

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, True/False, Full Frame, SF Jewish, Seattle, Sheffield, Sun Valley, Sarasota

About:
A profile an unforgettable woman as she seeks to realize her desires.

My pre-Sundance look at the doc may be found here.

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

January 8, 2018 · 3:02 PM

2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: A WOMAN CAPTURED

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Bernadett Tuza Ritter

A WOMAN CAPTURED
Bernadett Tuza-Ritter reveals a disturbing case of modern-day slavery in Hungary.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition

Country:
Hungary
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

January 8, 2018 · 2:12 PM

On DVD: THE JAZZ LOFT ACCORDING TO W EUGENE SMITH

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9:
THE JAZZ LOFT ACCORDING TO W EUGENE SMITH

Director:
Sara Fishko

Premiere:
New Orleans 2015

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Rotterdam, Full Frame, Cleveland, Florida, BAFICI, Copenhagen Jazz Film Festival

About:
An insider look at NYC bohemia in the late 1950s-early 1960s.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

January 8, 2018 · 1:31 PM

2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Pierre Verdy

WESTWOOD: PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST
Lorna Tucker profiles the uncompromising British designer.

Festival Section:
World Cinema Documentary Competition

Country:
UK
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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations, Sundance

January 8, 2018 · 12:46 PM

On TV: INTO THE AMAZON

Coming to PBS’s American Experience tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9:
INTO THE AMAZON

Director:
John Maggio

Premiere:
American Experience (January 2018)

About:
Former President Teddy Roosevelt faces death during a South American expedition.

In 1913, still stinging from his electoral defeat which would have given him a third term as president, Roosevelt set off on an adventure to re-energize his spirits. Joining with famed Brazilian explorer Cândido Rondon and a team of six Americans which included his son, Kermit, Roosevelt was tasked to chart an unexplored Amazon tributary known as the River of Doubt. As detailed in Maggio’s well-executed, if conventional, retelling, the experience turned out far more challenging and treacherous than anyone anticipated, costing the lives of several on the trek, and nearly adding Roosevelt’s to that number.