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 TV & Streaming: MASTER OF LIGHT

Coming to HBO and HBO Max tomorrow, Wednesday, November 16:
MASTER OF LIGHT

Director:
Rosa Ruth Boesten

World Premiere:
SXSW 2022

Select Festivals:
San Francisco, DOC NYC

About:
George Anthony Morton, a classical painter who spent ten years in federal prison, travels to his hometown to paint his family members, forcing him to face his past in a quest to rewrite the script of his life.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

On DVD: WHEN CLAUDE GOT SHOT

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 15:
WHEN CLAUDE GOT SHOT

Director:
Brad Lichtenstein

World Premiere:
SXSW 2021

Select Festivals:
Milwaukee, Hot Springs Doc, St Louis, Portland

About:
Three strangers’ lives become inextricably entwined by a weekend of gun violence.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

On DVD: KADDISH

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, November 15:
KADDISH

Director:
Steve Brand

World Premiere:
New Directors/New Films 1984

Select Festivals:
Sundance, New York Jewish

About:
A candid portrait of Yossi Klein Halevi, a young Jewish man who would go on to become a noted writer and activist, as he comes to terms with his father’s traumatic history as a Holocaust survivor.

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On DVD/VOD: MOONAGE DAYDREAM

Coming to DVD and VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15:
MOONAGE DAYDREAM

Director:
Brett Morgen

World Premiere:
Cannes 2022

Select Festivals:
Toronto, Karlovy Vary, Deauville, Jerusalem

About:
An artful and life-affirming journey through David Bowie’s creative life, grappling with spirituality, transience, isolation, creativity, and time to reveal the celebrated icon in his own voice.

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Streaming: STUTZ

Courtesy of Netflix

Coming to Netflix today, Monday, November 14:
STUTZ

Director:
Jonah Hill

World Premiere:
Theatrical release (November 2022)

About:
In candid conversations with actor Jonah Hill, leading psychiatrist Phil Stutz explores his early life experiences and unique, visual model of therapy.

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On TV: TAKEN HOSTAGE

Coming to PBS’s American Experience today, Monday, November 14 and tomorrow, Tuesday, November 15:
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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Streaming: FIRE OF LOVE

Coming to Disney+ today, Friday, November 11:
FIRE OF LOVE

Director:
Sara Dosa

World Premiere:
Sundance 2022

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, True/False, SXSW, New Directors/New Films, Docaviv, Visions du Reel, Docville, Sydney, Seattle, San Francisco, Cleveland, Ashland, RiverRun, Sun Valley, Provincetown

About:
This story of the doomed love triangle between intrepid scientists and lovers Katia and Maurice Krafft and the volcanoes they captured in their explosive archival footage.

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

Streaming: SANTA CAMP

Coming to HBO Max tomorrow, Saturday, November 12:
SANTA CAMP

Director:
Nick Sweeney

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2022

About:
With Christmas looming, three unconventional new recruits join the jolly white, bearded, ranks of Santa Camp and shake up the image of Kris Kringle.

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In Theatres: NOTHING LASTS FOREVER

Coming to theatres this Friday, November 4:
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER

Director:
Jason Kohn

World Premiere:
Berlin 2022

Select Festivals:
IDFA, SXSW, CPH:DOX, Docs Against Gravity, Camden, Bergen, Philadelphia, BAMcinemaFest

About:
This thriller-like investigation into the disruptive infiltration of synthetic diamonds into the jewelry market turns into an inquiry of the universal themes of value, the real, and the symbolic.

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On VOD: THE HUMAN TRIAL

Coming to VOD today, Friday, November 11:
THE HUMAN TRIAL

Director:
Lisa Hepner, Guy Mossman

World Premiere:
Theatrical release (June 2022)

About:
An intimate, unprecedented profile of the patients and scientists participating in a groundbreaking clinical trial to seek a cure for diabetes.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases