Author Archives: basiltsiokos

Doc-A-Thon, DOC NYC‘s panel series, wraps up at the IFC Center this Thursday, November 15. On Day 5, distributors – theatrical, alternative, and digital – help documentary filmmakers “Reach Your Audience,” while filmmakers discuss how their work has helped create public policy change. Continue reading →

The fifth DOC NYC shorts program that I programmed this year focuses on people and their vocations – whether it’s championing artisanal craftsmanship or heralding the coming Apocalypse.

DOC NYC Program Description:

ODD JOBS:
Thursday, November 15 at 7:15pm
Love what you do. THE BIRDMAN (11 min, Jessie Auritt) rules the roost at his East Village record store despite the economy, gentrification, and the rise of online music. WE WILL FORGET (14 min, Garret Harkawik) follows an infamous doomsday author as the clock counts down to the apocalypse. A woman makes eerily life-like dolls in REBORNING (8 min, Helen Hood Scheer, Yael Bridge). SHOKUNIN (3 min, Jesse Flower-Ambroch) offers a glimpse at the vanishing art of Japanese knife-sharpening. MADE BY ME (15 min, Jess Dang) visits three artisans working wood, metal, and glass by hand. KISS THE PAPER (20 min, Fiona Otway) celebrates the revival of letterpress printing. BETWEEN LAND AND SEA (9 min, J. Christian Jensen, Sarah Berkovich) follows a couple as they oversee a San Francisco Bay lighthouse. THE LOOKOUT (16 min, Brian Bolster) explores a solitary but vital role in the prevention of wildfires.

Why You Should Attend:
If you miss a feature-length documentary at a festival, there’s at least a chance that you might be able to find it on Netflix or iTunes within a year or so, but that’s not at all likely with the overwhelming majority of shorts. This is among one of your few chances to see some exceptional shortform work by the next generation of talented documentary filmmakers.

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

DOC NYC‘s fourth day of panels at the IFC Center next Wednesday, November 14, aims to “Protect Your Rights,” offering documentary filmmakers access to discussions exploring critical legal issues involving documentary, as well as practical sales advice. Continue reading →

This fourth post about my DOC NYC shorts programs spotlights a collection of films that look at memories and the past, and their influence on the present.

DOC NYC Program Description:

HOME MOVIES & OTHER MEMORIES:
Wednesday, November 14 at 9:30pm
This program is about the pull of the past, what’s been lost, and what we hold on to. STORYWOODS (8 min, Mary Horan) is a miniature world of dioramas recapturing the magic of the artist’s childhood. BOOMTOWN (12 min, Torben Bernhard, Travis Low) contrasts audio reflections of a once thriving Utah frontier town with its current ghostly state. MOEDER (13 min, Roma D’Arrietta) poignantly reveals the tumultuous life of the director’s mother.THINGS WE KEEP (20 min, David Moore) reflects on the loss of a mother through her old diaries, scrapbooks, photos, and home movies. Video diaries reveal how JULIAN (40 min, Bao Nguyen) was motivated to join the Marines by the example of his grandfather, a WWII hero, and how this decision affected his family.

Why You Should Attend:
There’s a haunting quality to many of the films in this program that gives them a particular resonance for anyone who’s ever lost someone or something of significance. The program is also anchored by Bao Nguyen’s standout film, recently nominated for an IDA Award.

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

DOC NYC, NYC’s documentary festival, begins tonight, while its panel series, Doc-A-Thon, begins tomorrow with four panels exploring how filmmakers can “Get the Money.” Doc-A-Thon continues on Monday (“Shoot Your Doc”) and through the close of the festival on Thursday, November 15. Today’s post focuses on the Masterclasses presented at the IFC Center on Doc-A-Thon’s third day, Tuesday, November 13, under the theme “Finish Your Doc.” These sessions are for those filmmakers who can see the light at the end of the filmmaking tunnel. Don’t walk into post-production blind – learn from Day 3’s post gurus. Continue reading →

This year’s DOC NYC launches tomorrow! As the shorts programmer for the festival, I’m sharing my thoughts on our six thematic shorts collections. This third program explores the universal bonds between family members.

DOC NYC Program Description:

FAMILY TIES:
Monday, November 12 at 7:00pm
The complex relationship between parents and their children is at the heart of this program. THE CAREGIVER (10 min, John Paul Su) profiles a woman who tends to sick children at work and at home. NOBODY’S OFF THE HOOK (28 min, Remy Weber) traces a difficult history of dysfunction and ambivalent reconciliation between a father and his children. CAPTIVE RADIO (23 min, Lauren Rosenfeld) gives hope to Colombian hostages by broadcasting messages from their families. THE CHILDREN NEXT DOOR (36 min, Doug Block) examines the deep psychological scars inflicted on children by a horrific case of domestic violence.

Why You Should Attend:
Everyone can relate to the fundamental connection between mothers and fathers and their kids, even if the situations these films’ subjects are in are at times extreme. Of particular note here: Lauren Rosenfeld is in the running for an IDA Award for her film, while Doug Block is known for his personal films 51 BIRCH STREET and THE KIDS GROW UP.

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