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.
March 25, 2022 · 12:01 PM

On TV: WRITING WITH FIRE

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens this coming Monday, March 28:
WRITING WITH FIRE

Director:
Rintu Thomas, Sushmit Ghosh

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Nantucket, IDFA, CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, RIDM, BlackStar, Guadalajara, DocsMX, Double Exposure, Sydney, Yamagata Doc, Ambulante, Denver, San Diego Asian, Hawaii, Bergen, San Francisco, Krakow, Seattle, Thessaloniki Doc, One World, Shanghai

Notable Recognition:
The doc has been nominated for the Academy Awards.

About:
A chronicle of the trailblazing work of India’s only news outlet run by Dalit women–once known as “untouchable.”

I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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

March 24, 2022 · 12:01 PM

On DVD: THE MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE

New to DVD this week:
THE MONOPOLY OF VIOLENCE

Director:
David Dufresne

World Premiere:
Cannes Directors’ Fortnight 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
New York, Sheffield, Brussels, Toronto, Melbourne

About:
This exploration of police violence in contemporary France examines the ways in which a government justifies brutal acts against its own citizens, enacting totalitarian methods to keep the populace under its control.

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March 23, 2022 · 12:01 PM

CPH:DOX 2022 Overview

Festival:
The 19th CPH:DOX

Dates:
March 23-April 3

About:
More than 160 new and recent features are included in this first-class Danish nonfiction event.

Continue reading →

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

March 21, 2022 · 12:01 PM

On DVD: ROCK HUDSON’S HOME MOVIES

Coming to DVD in re-release tomorrow, Tuesday, March 22:
ROCK HUDSON’S HOME MOVIES

Director:
Mark Rappaport

World Premiere:
NYC theatrical release (June 1992)

Select Festivals:
Toronto, Thessaloniki, Busan

About:
A subversive essay film exploring the queer subtext in the oeuvre of the publicly closeted Hollywood icon.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

March 18, 2022 · 3:01 PM

Streaming: MORE THAN ROBOTS

Coming to Disney+ today, Friday, March 18:
MORE THAN ROBOTS

Director:
Gillian Jacobs

World Premiere:
SXSW 2022

About:
Four teams of teenagers from around the world prepare for the 2020 First Robotics Competition, but in a year like no other, the kids learn that there is more to the competition than just robots.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

March 18, 2022 · 1:31 PM

On VOD: MAU

Coming to VOD today, Friday, March 18:
MAU

Director:
Benji Bergmann, Jono Bergmann

World Premiere:
SXSW 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Hot Docs, Tallinn Black Nights

About:
The unlikely story of design visionary Bruce Mau and his ever-optimistic push for massive change.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

March 18, 2022 · 12:01 PM

In Theatres: JANE BY CHARLOTTE

Coming to theatres today, Friday, March 18:
JANE BY CHARLOTTE

Director:
Charlotte Gainsbourg

World Premiere:
Cannes 2021

Select Festivals:
New York, Deauville, Jerusalem, San Sebastian, Doclisboa, São Paulo, Warsaw, Jihlava, Tallinn Black Nights, Torino, Taipei Golden Horse, Stockholm

About:
The filmmaker makes a portrait of her famed mother Jane Birkin.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

March 17, 2022 · 1:31 PM

On VOD: THE LAST TOURIST

New to VOD this week:
THE LAST TOURIST

Director:
Tyson Sadler

World Premiere:
Vancouver 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, Santa Barbara, Edmonton

About:
On the downsides of tourism on local communities, animals, and the environment, and what can be done to make it more ethical and sustainable.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

March 17, 2022 · 12:01 PM

In Theatres & On VOD: THE TORCH

Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, March 18:
THE TORCH

Director:
Jim Farrell

World Premiere:
Chicago 2019

About:
Guitar icon Buddy Guy reflects on his legacy and passes along the blues lessons he himself received from legends Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf to a phenom of the next generation.

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March 16, 2022 · 1:31 PM

Streaming: EL MAR LA MAR

Coming to OVID.tv tomorrow, Thursday, March 17:
EL MAR LA MAR

Directors:
Joshua Bonnetta and JP Sniadecki

World Premiere:
Berlin 2017

Select Festivals:
New York, London, IDFA, Indielisboa, Dokfest Munich, Docaviv, Docs Against Gravity, AFI Docs, Camden, Chicago, Vienna, AFI Fest, San Francisco, Hong Kong

About:
An immersive exploration of life and death in a desert along the US/Mexico border.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases