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.

In Theatres & On VOD: BLIND AMBITION

Coming to theatres and VOD this Friday, September 2:
BLIND AMBITION

Director:
Robert Coe, Warwick Ross

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2021

Select Festivals:
Melbourne, Thessaloniki Doc, Reykjavik, Seattle

About:
Four Zimbabwean men form their country’s first Wine Tasting Olympics team.

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In Theatres: OUR AMERICAN FAMILY

Coming to theatres this Friday, September 2:
OUR AMERICAN FAMILY

Director:
Hallee Adelman, Sean King O’Grady

World Premiere:
Woodstock 2021

Select Festivals:
Philadelphia

About:
An honest, unfiltered look at a close-knit Philadelphia family dealing with generational substance abuse.

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In Theatres: GHOST ARTIST

Coming to NYC’s Anthology Film Archives this Thursday, September 1:
GHOST ARTIST

Director:
Steven Palmer, Edward Riche

Select Festivals:
FIN Atlantic, Windsor

About:
When a revolutionary film about medicine and the body is rediscovered after 50 years, it leads to its uncredited maker, Robert Cordier, still working in Paris at 82.

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On DVD: BULLETPROOF

Coming to DVD today, Tuesday, August 30:
BULLETPROOF

Director:
Todd Chandler

World Premiere:
SXSW 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, IDFA, Dokufest, Camden, Philadelphia, DOK Leipzig, Jihlava, Doclisboa, Maryland, Tempo Doc, Melbourne, DMZ Docs

About:
A provocative exploration of fear and American violence that interrogates what it means to be safe in school in the United States.

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Venice 2022: Documentary Overview

Festival:
The 79th Venice International Film Festival

Dates:
August 31-September 10

About:
Twenty documentaries appear as part of the approximately 75 feature offerings of this premier Italian event, while its autonomous sidebars present 14 docs among their 38 feature presentations, including the following.

Continue reading

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Overviews, Recommendations

On TV/DVD: FAYA DAYI

Coming to PBS’s POV tonight, Monday, August 29 and to DVD via Criterion Collection tomorrow, Tuesday, August 30:
FAYA DAYI

Director:
Jessica Beshir

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, BlackStar, True/False, Full Frame, Visions du Reel, Seattle, New Directors/New Films, Rotterdam, Melbourne

Notable Recognition:
The doc was shortlisted for the Academy Awards.

About:
A poetic, sensorial journey into the highlands of Harar in eastern Ethiopia, the birthplace of khat.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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

In Theatres & On VOD: THE YOUTH GOVERNOR

Coming to theatres and VOD today, Friday, August 26:
THE YOUTH GOVERNOR

Director:
Matt Halmy, Jaron Halmy

World Premiere:
Cleveland 2022

About:
In the halls of California’s Capitol, 4,000 teenagers run a fully functioning government complete
with legislators, party bosses, and elections, with three candidates emerging in the
race for the 72nd Youth Governor.

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In Theatres: LET THE LITTLE LIGHT SHINE

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, August 26:
LET THE LITTLE LIGHT SHINE

Director:
Kevin Shaw

World Premiere:
True/False 2022

Select Festivals:
Black Star, Full Frame, Doc 10, Minneapolis-St Paul, Doclands, Freep, Milwaukee, Ashland

About:
A high-achieving elementary school near downtown Chicago is a lifeline for Black children – until gentrification threatens its closure.

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Streaming: RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL: THE WILD WORLD OF JOHN MCAFEE

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Friday, August 26:
RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL: THE WILD WORLD OF JOHN MCAFEE

Director:
Charlie Russell

World Premiere:
Netflix (August 2022)

About:
Raw, revealing footage and interviews with fugitive tech pioneer John McAfee uncovers new layers of his wild years on the run.

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Streaming: GHOST FLEET

Coming to Topic tomorrow, Thursday, August 25:
GHOST FLEET

Directors:
Shannon Service, Jeffrey Waldron

World Premiere:
Telluride 2018

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Toronto, Berlin, Doc Edge, Seattle, El Gouna, Hamptons, Palm Springs, Cleveland

About:
A harrowing look at slavery on the high seas.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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