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.
November 13, 2013 · 12:01 PM

2013 DOC NYC in Focus: OBSESSIONS

Derby-Groma-Key-Image-Photo-by-Lee-Towndrow-580x300This fourth collection of DOC NYC shorts profiles a wide range of individuals who get swept away in various passions or preoccupations.

DOC NYC Program Description:

OBSESSIONS:
Wednesday, November 20 at 9:30pm
Collectors, curiosity seekers, and compulsives. FLUTTER (USA/Canada, 8 min., Dara Bratt) explores a lonely retiree’s love of butterfly collecting, while BUG PEOPLE (USA, 15 min., Paul Meyers) examines our odd aversion to insects. TANGO (Brazil, 6 min., Louis Robin) questions racetrack attendees about gambling. Discarded photos lead to a search for vaudeville performers DERBY & GROMA (Canada, 17 min., Kara Blake). Rollerskating recaptures the past in SKATE YRSELF CLEAN (USA, 7 min., Janna Jude Brown). THE EMERGENCY KIT (USA/Denmark, 11 min., Christian Svanes Kolding) shows an expectant mother’s anxiety around impending disasters. Freeman Dyson reveals his never-realized ATOMIC DREAM (USA, 26 min., Derek Lartaud & Melanie Ruiz) of nuclear bomb-powered space travel. (91 min. total)

Why You Should Attend:
We all have things that compel us, from benign hobbies and aspirations to more troubling vices and addictions. The individuals profiled in these intriguing films reflect on theirs.

More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the link from the program page by clicking on the program title above.

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November 12, 2013 · 3:02 PM

On VOD: MORE THAN HONEY

more-than-honey-film-bild01Coming to VOD today, Tuesday, November 12: MORE THAN HONEY

Markus Imhoof’s tribute to the honeybee had its world premiere at Locarno last year. Its fest circuit included Toronto, Palm Springs, Cleveland, Santa Barbara, Sarasota, Montclair, Vancouver, and Seattle, among others, before enjoying a limited theatrical release this past Summer. FilmBuff now releases the film on iTunes, Xbox Video, and Sony Playstation.

I previously wrote about the doc out of Toronto here.

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November 12, 2013 · 2:12 PM

On DVD: BROADWAY IDIOT

broadway idiotComing to DVD today, Tuesday, November 12: BROADWAY IDIOT

Doug Hamilton’s charting of the development of Green Day’s rock opera debuted at SXSW this past Spring. The doc went on to screen at Newport Beach, Lincoln Center’s Sound + Vision, London, and the CBGB Film Festival before being released theatrically and on VOD last month.

I included the film in my SXSW coverage here.

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November 12, 2013 · 1:31 PM

2013 DOC NYC in Focus: Doc-A-Thon Day 2 – Finish Your Doc

temp doc nyc coverThe second day of DOC NYC‘s panel series, Doc-A-Thon, focuses on post-production. All of these masterclasses take place at the IFC Center next Tuesday, November 19: Continue reading →

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November 12, 2013 · 12:46 PM

On DVD/VOD: RISING FROM ASHES

RisingFromTheAshes_450x250Coming to DVD/VOD today, Tuesday, November 12: RISING FROM ASHES

TC Johnstone’s chronicle of Rwandan competitive cycling had its world premiere at the Hamptons last year. It went on to screen at fests in Denver, the Bahamas, Dallas, Austin, RiverRun, and Santa Barbara, among others, and to enjoy a limited theatrical release this Summer.

I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.

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November 12, 2013 · 12:01 PM

2013 DOC NYC in Focus: THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT

Key-Image-Kids-are-all-right-Dogs-On-A-Beach-Key-Image-Photo-by-Spencer-Gilley-580x300My third DOC NYC shorts program focuses on younger protagonists – from pre-adolescents to young adults.

DOC NYC Program Description:

THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT:
Wednesday, November 20 at 7:15pm
These five shorts capture the honesty and wisdom of youth. Cancer upends a dancer’s dreams in LIKE A DANCE (USA, 6 min., Jill Orschel). FOLLOW MY STEPS (USA, 16 min., Andrew Hida) details a friendship between a 13-year-old and a 21-year-old, bonded by physical disability. An undocumented young woman shares her story in I WAS BORN IN MEXICO, BUT…(USA, 12 min., Corey Ohama). Classroom and playground culture clash when a young Native American boy moves to Norway in EAGLE BOY (Norway, 27 min., Gry Elisabeth Mortensen). A group of Native children guide strangers through their remote island community in DOGS ON A BEACH (Canada, 23 min., Spencer Gilley & Andrew Hovi). (85 min. total)

Why You Should Attend:
These portraits cover everything from health issues and immigration to identity and culture differences – all from the perspectives of disarmingly astute and open young men and women.

More Info:
To purchase tickets, follow the link from the program page by clicking on the program title above.

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November 11, 2013 · 3:43 PM

On Cable: THE TEAM

657__640x272_wpp_signature_titles_the-team_0Coming to Al Jazeera America Presents tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday, November 12: THE TEAM

Patrick Reed’s exploration of the social impact of a soap opera in Kenya debuted at IDFA in 2010. It went on to screen at Full Frame, Hot Docs, Tallinn Black Nights, Human Rights Watch, London Doc, Kenya, and Silverdocs, among others.

I previously wrote about the doc out of Silverdocs here.

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November 11, 2013 · 3:02 PM

In Theatres & On VOD: MEDORA

medoraCurrently in theatres and coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12: MEDORA

Andrew Cohn and Davy Rothbart’s high school basketball underdog story made its debut earlier this year at SXSW. It went on to screen at Sarasota, Full Frame, Woods Hole, Sidewalk, Raindance, and Woodstock, among others. The doc opened in NYC and LA last weekend, and expands to several other cities this Friday and through the end of the year. FilmBuff makes the film available via iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, Vudu, PlayStation, and XBOX.

Indiana is famed for its obsession with basketball, but in smalltown Medora, the sport, like the town, has seen better days, as demonstrated in Cohn and Rothbart’s appealing microcosmic study. Once again, the Medora Hornets are well on their way to another winless high school season. As varsity players are profiled over the course of the year, it’s clear that victory on the court represents so much more than a game for not only these charismatic young underdogs, but also for their struggling community. Like its thematic antecedent, UNDEFEATED, the doc uses high school athletics to reveal a larger story – here about the recession and its impact on smalltown communities – rather than simply being content with telling a story about winning and losing a game.

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November 11, 2013 · 2:12 PM

On DVD: DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC

Doin-It-In-The-Park-old-school-slam-jamComing to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, November 12: DOIN’ IT IN THE PARK: PICK-UP BASKETBALL, NYC

Kevin Couliau and Bobbito Garcia’s chronicle of urban hoops debuted at the San Francisco Black Film Festival. Additional stops on the fest circuit included Urbanworld, Philadelphia Awesome Festival, New Jersey, and Toronto’s Regent Park, as well as limited theatrical engagements.

I previously wrote about the doc upon its theatrical release here.

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November 11, 2013 · 1:31 PM

2013 DOC NYC in Focus: Doc-A-Thon Day 1 – Shoot Your Doc

temp doc nyc coverWhile I wasn’t responsible for programming Doc-A-Thon, DOC NYC‘s panel series, this year, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Each day is focused on a different part of the filmmaking process, and includes four masterclasses or special discussions with leading documentary filmmakers and industry representatives, all taking place between 10:30am-5:00pm at the IFC Center, beginning next Monday, November 18.

Monday’s Day 1 begins with the essentials of production: Continue reading →

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