Author Archives: basiltsiokos

basiltsiokos's avatar

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 31, 2014 · 2:12 PM

In the Works: FOLLOWING BORUCH

After decades struggling with personal demons, the filmmaker’s uncle, a Hasidic Jewish man, tries to get his life on track.

following boruchFilming over the course of several years, Paula Eiselt tells the story of her uncle Bernie (in Hebrew, Boruch), the only Hasidic member of her immediate family, and a man whose mental illness, alcoholism, and drug and sex addiction have cost him the life he has always desired. Nearly fifty, Bernie, who has never held a steady job, nor started a family, sets out to achieve these dreams of stability, make peace with his past, and remain clean and sober, while facing the challenges of addressing difficult personal issues that remain stigmatized within his Orthodox community. Exploring recovery within an insular yet ultimately comforting context, Eiselt offers a unique perspective on second chances and self-determination. Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, In the Works

January 31, 2014 · 12:01 PM

On TV: AMERICAN PROMISE

american promiseComing to PBS’s POV this coming Monday, February 3: AMERICAN PROMISE

Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson’s thirteen-year look at black male academic achievement debuted at Sundance last year, where it won a special jury award. It went on to screen at the New York Film Festival, Full Frame, and Hot Springs, among others, before its theatrical release.

I profiled the doc pre-Sundance here.

Leave a comment

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

January 30, 2014 · 3:43 PM

SXSW 2014: Features Lineup Announced

sxsw 2014SXSW has released their initial list of features, with the Midnighters and Shorts sections to be announced next Wednesday, February 5, and panels to follow the next week. About 50 of the 115 features announced so far are documentaries, appearing in nearly every section of the festival, aside from the narrative exclusive sections. Following is the list of documentary features, broken down by section. For descriptions, check out the link above: Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations

January 30, 2014 · 1:31 PM

In Theatres & On VOD: 12 O’CLOCK BOYS

12 oclock boysComing to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, January 31: 12 O’CLOCK BOYS

Lotfy Nathan’s intimate exploration of Baltimore’s urban dirt-bikers debuted at SXSW last year. Other festival screenings included Hot Docs, Full Frame, Maryland, Sundance Next Weekend, Philadelphia, and CPH:DOX.

I previously wrote about the doc out of SXSW here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

January 30, 2014 · 12:01 PM

Ambulante 2014 Overview

AMBULANTE_morfoMexico’s traveling documentary festival, Ambulante, kicks off today in Mexico City. The event, founded in 2005 by Gael Garcia Bernal, Diego Luna, and Pablo Cruz, will run through February 13, then move on to nearly a dozen other Mexican cities for consecutive week runs between February 13 and May 4. Recently, the organization announced the establishment of Ambulante California, an inclusive, pop-up exhibition intended to reach underserved communities in the greater Los Angeles area. Before that event kicks off in the Fall, the Mexico-based tour will present approximately 100 films, bringing nonfiction and film culture to audiences that otherwise have limited exposure to theatrical exhibition. Feature-length and short documentaries – most already well-traveled on the fest circuit – screen in a number of thematic sections, with some highlights noted below: Continue reading →

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Film Festivals, Recommendations

January 29, 2014 · 1:31 PM

On TV: HAWKING

hawkingComing to PBS tonight, Wednesday, January 29: HAWKING

Stephen Finnigan’s portrait of the famed cosmologist and theoretical physicist made its debut at SXSW last year. It went on to screen at Edinburgh, CPH:DOX, Seattle, and Cambridge, among others. A shorter, broadcast version now makes its debut on PBS stations nationwide.

Though confined bodily to a wheelchair due to ALS, and able to speak only via a voice-synthesizer, Hawking for decades has been the most recognizable and popular scientist in the world. Finnigan trades on that celebrity, taking a more personal approach rather than foregrounding the thinker’s scientific discoveries in any great depth. Narrated by the University of Cambridge professor himself, the film traces Hawking’s early life, education, pursuit of science, diagnosis, and married life, and how he eventually wrote the bestselling popular science book, A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME, which established him within the public’s consciousness, paving the way for his iconic status as one of the world’s greatest scientific geniuses. The approach taken may sideline the more heady thinking he’s done to expand our understanding of the universe, but it does make for an accessible, and often engaging, portrait of an uncommon mind who refused to let the failings of his body limit his potential.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

January 29, 2014 · 12:01 PM

Special Screening: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE

central park 5Coming to NYC’s Stranger Than Fiction tomorrow, Thursday, January 30: THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE

Sarah Burns, David McMahon, and Ken Burns’ examination of an infamous case of injustice had its world premiere at Cannes in 2012. Festival screening included Telluride, Toronto, DOC NYC, and more before a limited theatrical run, DVD/VOD release, and PBS broadcast. Recently, NYC Mayor Bill DeBlasio has announced plans to settle a lawsuit stemming from the case.

I previously wrote about the doc out of Toronto here.

Note: A Q&A with two of the exonerated subjects of the film, Yusef Salaam and Korey Wise, will follow the screening.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations

January 28, 2014 · 1:31 PM

On VOD: LAST WOMAN STANDING

last woman standingComing to VOD today, Tuesday, January 28: LAST WOMAN STANDING

Juliet Lammers and Lorraine Price’s portrait of two boxers contending for a sole Olympic spot made its debut at Hot Docs last year. It went on to screen at Big Sky, Hot Springs, and other events. It now comes to iTunes, Amazon, Movies on Demand, PlayStation, Google Play, Vudu, CinemaNow, and XBOX via FilmBuff.

Lammers and Price initially set out to track world champion Canadian boxers and friends Ariane Fortin and Mary Spencer on their way to the London Olympics, the first time women’s boxing was included as an official category. When they discover that there is only one spot open, the athletes find that they must compete against one another to have a shot at Olympic gold, putting a strain on their friendship and costing one her dream of victory on the international stage. The film offers insight into the minds and personalities of the determined and affable athletes, but unfortunately sometimes gets bogged down in the minutiae of the qualification process, which likely won’t be of much interest to anyone aside from Canadian boxing fans. Still, in its portrait of perseverance, the doc succeeds in demonstrating its subjects’ athleticism and discipline.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

January 28, 2014 · 12:01 PM

On TV: THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH

Coming to WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed series tonight, Tuesday January 28: THE PRUITT-IGOE MYTH: AN URBAN HISTORY

Chad Friedrichs’ exploration of an infamous St Louis urban renewal program debuted at True/False in 2011. It went on to screen at Silverdocs, Full Frame, Los Angeles, and Stranger Than Fiction, and to enjoy a limited theatrical release.

I included the film in my Silverdocs coverage here.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

January 27, 2014 · 3:02 PM

On TV: THE STATE OF ARIZONA

state_of_arizona-01-thumb-largeComing to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, January 27: THE STATE OF ARIZONA

Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini’s exploration of Arizona’s divisive immigration legislation has participated in various community screenings in the lead up to its national broadcast tonight.

Taking a wide-ranging approach, Sandoval and Tambini offer both macro and micro views of the controversy, contextualizing the extreme steps the state has taken within a larger discourse around federal immigration and border policy, while also checking in on major and minor players on a local level, from Governor Jan Brewer, State Senator Russell Pearce, and Sheriff Joe Arpaio, all very vocal supporters of the Draconian laws under debate; to their opponents in grassroots groups like Puente, represented here by Carlos Garcia; as well as everyday individuals drawn into the controversy on both sides, woven through intermittently. While successful in providing a surprisingly comprehensive overview, this expansive focus allows the viewer to get only a surface glimpse rather than a deeper, more intimate appreciation of the impact of either the influx of undocumented individuals on the community or of the harsh laws that opponents say are based on harassment and racial profiling.

Leave a comment

Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases