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 TV: FANNIE LOU HAMER’S AMERICA

Coming to The WORLD Channel’s America ReFramed today, Tuesday, February 22:
FANNIE LOU HAMER’S AMERICA

Director:
Joy Elaine Davenport

World Premiere:
America Reframed broadcast (February 2022)

About:
A look at the life and influence of the fearless Mississippi sharecropper-turned-Civil Rights leader.

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Releases

On DVD: UPHEAVAL: THE JOURNEY OF MENACHEM BEGIN

Coming to DVD tomorrow, Tuesday, February 21:
UPHEAVAL: THE JOURNEY OF MENACHEM BEGIN

Director:
Jonathan Gruber

World Premiere:
Heartland 2020

Select Festivals:
Jewish fests in Las Vegas, Miami, Atlanta, Denver, and Pittsburgh

About:
A portrait of the Nobel Prize-winning former Israeli Prime Minister.

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On TV: APART

Coming to PBS’s Independent Lens tonight, Monday, February 21:
APART

Director:
Jennifer Redfearn

World Premiere:
Full Frame 2020 (unscreened)

Select Festivals:
Hot Docs, Human Rights Watch, Cleveland, Mountainfilm

About:
In the Midwest, plagued with opioid abuse and rising incarceration rates for women, three unforgettable mothers return home from prison to rebuild their lives after years of separation from their children.

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On TV: SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED)

Coming to TV via ABC this Sunday, February 20:
SUMMER OF SOUL (…OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED)

Director:
Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
Nantucket, Hot Docs, True/False, AFI Docs, Provincetown, DocLands, Minneapolis/St Paul, San Francisco Doc

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

About:
A joyous and thoughtful revisitation of a long overlooked part of Black music history.

I profiled the doc before Sundance here.

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

Streaming: BELLY OF THE BEAST

New to streaming this week:
BELLY OF THE BEAST

Director:
Erika Cohn

World Premiere:
Human Rights Watch NYC 2020

Select Festivals:
Mill Valley, Heartland, Double Exposure, Cucalorus, Rocky Mountain Women’s

About:
A woman sterilized without her consent while in prison teams with a dedicated attorney to stop the process.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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Streaming: MR BACHMANN AND HIS CLASS

Coming to MUBI this Sunday, February 20:
MR BACHMANN AND HIS CLASS

Director:
Maria Speth

World Premiere:
Berlin 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, IDFA, Karlovy Vary, BFI London, Hong Kong, Moscow, Fajr, Dokufest, Melbourne, Beijing, Docs Against Gravity, Jerusalem, Zurich, Vienna

About:
An immersive, intimate look inside the classroom of an inspiring teacher at a German primary school for immigrant students.

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Streaming & In Theatres: DOWNFALL: THE CASE AGAINST BOEING

Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Netflix

Coming to Netflix and to select theatres tomorrow, Friday, February 18:
DOWNFALL: THE CASE AGAINST BOEING

Director:
Rory Kennedy

World Premiere:
Sundance 2022

About:
An investigation of the two Boeing 737 MAX crashes that killed 346 people, exploring both the root causes and the human cost, serves at once as a chilling portrait of a crumbling corporate culture and a fierce indictment of Wall Street’s corrupting influence.

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

In Theatres: THE AUTOMAT

Coming to theatres tomorrow, Friday, February 18:
THE AUTOMAT

Director:
Lisa Hurwitz

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
Philadelphia, Austin, Hamptons Doc, Miami Jewish

About:
The history of the titular vending machine, weaving together interviews with engineers, collectors, admirers, former employees, and an eclectic cast of its utmost enthusiasts.

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On DVD: RONNIE’S

New to DVD this week:
RONNIE’S

Director:
Oliver Murray

World Premiere:
UK theatrical release (October 2020)

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, RiverRun

About:
The story of the legendary London night club and the musician for whom it was named.

I previously wrote about the doc here.

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On VOD: PRESIDENT

Coming to VOD this Friday, February 18:
PRESIDENT

Director:
Camilla Nielsson

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
CPH:DOX, AFI Docs, Docaviv, Thessaloniki Doc, Dokufest, Encounters, DMZ Docs, Melbourne, Docville, Zurich, Montclair, Philadelphia

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

About:
The leader of Zimbabwe’s opposition party seeks a free and fair election.

I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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