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.

On DVD: QUEEN MIMI

New to DVD this week:
QUEEN MIMI

Director:
Yaniv Rokah

World Premiere:
Vail 2015

Select Festivals:
Sarasota, Haifa, Hot Springs Doc, San Francisco Doc, Bahamas

About:
A portrait of a longterm homeless woman and her unlikely celebrity.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

Streaming: THE ANDY WARHOL DIARIES

Coming to Netflix tomorrow, Wednesday, March 9:
THE ANDY WARHOL DIARIES

Director:
Andrew Rossi

World Premiere:
Netflix (March 2022)

About:
After he’s shot in 1968, Andy Warhol begins documenting his life and feelings. Those diaries, and this series, reveal the secrets behind his persona. 

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On TV & Streaming: UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL

Coming to HBO and HBO Max tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8:
UNDERCURRENT: THE DISAPPEARANCE OF KIM WALL

Director:
Erin Lee Carr

World Premiere:
HBO/HBO Max (March 2022)

About:
A two-part documentary telling the story of accomplished journalist Kim Wall, who tragically went missing in 2017 after interviewing eccentric entrepreneur Peter Madsen aboard his self-made submarine in Danish waters.

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On VOD: CALENDAR GIRL

Coming to VOD tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8:
CALENDAR GIRL

Director:
Christian D Bruun

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2020

Select Festivals:
Miami Jewish, LA Fashion Festival, Berkshire

About:
Ruth Finley, the nonagenarian queen of the fashion industry through her pink Fashion Calendar, founded in 1945, faces the end of an era as her iconic publication changes ownership. 

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Streaming: LUCY AND DESI

Courtesy of Sundance Institute

Coming to Amazon Prime Video today, Friday, March 4:
LUCY AND DESI

Director:
Amy Poehler

World Premiere:
Sundance 2022

About:
Through interviews and archival, a tribute to trailblazing icons in comedy and entertainment, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and the story of their lasting love.

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

Streaming: ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL


New to streaming via OVID.tv this week:
ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL

Director:
Pascal Plisson

Premiere:
Champs-Elysées 2013

Select Festivals:
Locarno, COLCOA LA, Athens, Mill Valley, Portland,

About:
Kids from Kenya, Morocco, Argentina, and India walk hours just to go to school.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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In Theatres: ROCK BOTTOM RISER

Coming to theatres today, Friday, March 4:
ROCK BOTTOM RISER

Director:
Fern Silva

World Premiere:
Berlin 2021

Select Festivals:
Rotterdam, New Directors/New Films, Cinema du Reel, Thessaloniki Doc, Melbourne, Karlovy Vary, Dokufest

About:
An experimental film playfully teasing out connections between humankind, geology, and the cosmos by way of the native Hawaiian population.

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In Theatres & On VOD: DEAR MR BRODY

Coming to theatres and VOD tomorrow, Friday, March 4:
DEAR MR BRODY

Director:
Keith Maitland

World Premiere:
Tribeca 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Telluride, SXSW, San Francisco Doc, Provincetown, Miami

About:
In 1970, eccentric hippie millionaire Michael Brody, Jr decided to give $25 million away to anyone who needed it, sparking a media frenzy and thousands of letters from strangers all requesting his help.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases

On DVD: LET ME BE ME

New to DVD this week:
LET ME BE ME

Director:
Dan Crane, Katie Taber

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021

About:
Kyle Westphal grows up as an isolated autistic boy whose life is transformed by his fascination with fabric, leading him to become a fashion designer.

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Streaming: LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES

Coming to OVID.tv today, Wednesday, March 2:
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES

Director:
Ahmet Necdet Cupur

World Premiere:
Visions du Réel 2021

Select Festivals:
IDFA, BFI London, Sarajevo, RIDM, Docs Barcelona, Flahertiana, Cinema Verite

About:
An immersion into the daily life of the director’s Turkish family, in which young adults fight every day to assert their freedom and independence in the face of a paternal authority anchored in traditional values.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases