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.

2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

Courtesy of Sundance Institute

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS
Tim Wardle reveals the stranger than fiction tale of triplets separated at birth.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On DVD: THANK YOU FOR PLAYING

thank_you_for_playing_stillComing to DVD today, Tuesday, January 2: THANK YOU FOR PLAYING

Directors:
David Osit and Malika Zouhali-Worrall

Premiere:
Tribeca 2015

Select Festivals:
New Orleans, Hot Docs, IDFA, Bentonville, Melbourne, Camden, Antenna, Rio

About:
An intimate portrait of a family’s reckoning with mortality.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE SENTENCE

Courtesy of Sundance Institute

THE SENTENCE
Rudy Valdez reveals the personal impact of mandatory minimum laws on his own family.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On DVD: SHADOWMAN

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, January 2:
SHADOWMAN

Director:
Oren Jacoby

Premiere:
Tribeca 2017

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Stockholm, Virginia, Vancouver, Poland’s American Film Festival

About:
A once-celebrated but long out-of-the-spotlight contemporary artist emerges from the shadows.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: SEEING ALLRED

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alex Pollini

SEEING ALLRED
Sophie Sartain and Roberta Grossman craft a candid profile of the controversial women’s rights advocate.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING

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THE PRICE OF EVERYTHING
Nathaniel Kahn offers a privileged look into the intersection of high art and commerce.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: ON HER SHOULDERS

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Alexandria Bombach

ON HER SHOULDERS
Alexandria Bombach chronicles the efforts of a young woman to advocate for her people on the global stage.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On DVD: THE CHALLENGE

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, January 2:
THE CHALLENGE

Director:
Yuri Ancarani

Premiere:
Locarno 2016

Select Festivals:
IDFA, Hot Docs, Edinburgh, SXSW, Dubai, New Directors/New Films, True/False, Thessaloniki Doc, Göteborg, Encounters, Taipei, Traverse City, Melbourne, Docs Against Gravity, Docaviv, San Francisco

About:
A privileged look at the lives of ultra-rich Qatari amateur falconers.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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2018 Sundance Docs in Focus: MINDING THE GAP

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Bing Liu

MINDING THE GAP
Bing Liu crafts a sensitive, personal portrait of a group of longtime friends.

Festival Section:
US Documentary Competition
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On TV: 500 YEARS

Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, January 1:
500 YEARS

Director:
Pamela Yates

Premiere:
Sundance 2017

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Human Rights Geneva, Human Rights Watch London, Ashland, Full Frame, Seattle, Human Rights Watch New York

About:
The completion of a 35-year trilogy focused on the resistance of Guatemala’s indigenous Mayan population.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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