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.

2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Jock Docs

cheer_upWrapping up today’s preview of DOC NYC programming: Jock Docs, our focus on sports. Continue reading

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In Theatres & On VOD: PETER AND THE FARM

peterComing to theatres and to VOD tomorrow, Friday, November 4: PETER AND THE FARM

Tony Stone’s portrait of an isolated farmer debuted at True/False at the beginning of the year. It went on to screen at New Directors/New Films, San Francisco, Melbourne, Camden, and Poland’s American fest, among other events.

Peter Dunning has worked his Mile Hill Farm for 35 years, and it has taken its toil. He came to Vermont as part of the back to the land movement, and for a time, Mile Hill was an idyllic place, drawing his friends and family together. Now 68 years old, Peter is alone, estranged from his grown children, his marriage having ended long ago, a victim of his depression and alcoholism. Somehow, he still maintains a wry humor, and a penchant for storytelling, preventing this artfully composed profile from feeling either exploitative or unrelentingly dark, leaving an indelible impression of the man and his work.

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On DVD: FREE TO RUN

free-to-run_592x299New to DVD this week: FREE TO RUN

Pierre Morath’s chronicle of the development of the sport of running made its theatrical premiere in Switzerland this February. It went on to screen at BAFICI, Docs Against Gravity, Sydney, and New Zealand fest, among others festivals.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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In Theatres: ALL GOVERNMENTS LIE: TRUTH, DECEPTION, AND THE SPIRIT OF I F STONE

allgovernmentslie_01Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, November 4: ALL GOVERNMENTS LIE: TRUTH, DECEPTION, AND THE SPIRIT OF I F STONE

Fred Peabody’s look at the courageous work of independent journalists made its world premiere at Toronto in September. It has also screened at Washington DC’s Double Exposure Investigative fest prior to its theatrical opening.

Though little known to the general public, journalist I F Stone worked tirelessly to expose political corruption, single-handedly publishing a small newsletter between 1953-1971 – decidedly outside of the mainstream media. Peabody’s film highlights his present-day heirs, investigative journalists continuing his legacy in their own pioneering work, regardless of the professional and personal risks. Tackling the erosion of personal freedom that has taken place since 9/11, as well as the corporatization of media, the likes of Amy Goodman, Glenn Greenwald, Jeremy Scahill, Laura Poitras, Carlos Frey, and Matt Taibbi are profiled as they try to go behind the surface and expose what’s really going on in the world. By its nature, the film takes more of a survey approach rather than an in-depth look at the reporters’ individual stories, but it clearly conveys the importance – and necessity – of their missions.

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2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Behind the Scenes

finding_kukan-courtesy-family-of-rey-scott-key-imageThursday’s DOC NYC preview kicks off with our films about filmmaking: Behind the Scenes Continue reading

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In Theatres: THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

eagle huntressComing to theatres today, November 2: THE EAGLE HUNTRESS

Otto Bell’s profile of Mongolia’s first female eagle hunter had its world premiere at Sundance earlier this year. Other screenings include Toronto, Karlovy Vary, New Zealand, Melbourne, Warsaw, Hamptons, Mill Valley, Chicago, London, Aspen, and the upcoming Denver and Hawaii fests.

I profiled the film before Sundance here.

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2016 DOC NYC in Focus: Modern Family

the_guys_next-doorWrapping up today’s DOC NYC preview: Modern Family profiles unconventional families. Continue reading

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On DVD: DEEP WEB

deep webNew to DVD this week: DEEP WEB

Alex Winter’s look at the dark corners of the Internet debuted at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at Full Frame, San Francisco, Hot Docs, and Montclair, among other fests.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On DVD: LUCHA MEXICO

LUCHAMEXICO-KEYNew to DVD this week: LUCHA MEXICO

Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz’s portrait of lucha libre had its world premiere at Guanajuato last year. It went on to screen at DOC NYC, DOXA, and Hola Mexico.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On VOD: MAKING A KILLING: GUNS, GREED, AND THE NRA

making a killingNew to VOD this week: MAKING A KILLING: GUNS, GREED, AND THE NRA

Robert Greenwald’s case against gun lobbyists premiered theatrically this Summer. Gravitas now makes it available across VOD platforms.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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