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: DIRTY TRICKS

Coming to Showtime today, Wednesday, December 8:
DIRTY TRICKS

Director:
Daniel Sivan

World Premiere:
Hot Docs 2021

About:
When the best player in the elite competitive level of the card game bridge—a million-dollar cut-throat business—is accused of cheating, the ensuing scandal confounds experts, criminal science, celebrities, and basic belief in this hilarious true-crime thriller.

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In Theatres/Virtual Release: LAST AND FIRST MEN

Coming to theatres and to virtual cinema this Friday, December 10:
LAST AND FIRST MEN

Director:
Jóhann Jóhannsson 

World Premiere:
Berlin 2020

Select Festivals:
Karlovy Vary, Melbourne, Bucheon Fantastic, Beijing, Indielisboa, Fajr

About:
A hybrid docufiction about the final days of humankind.

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On TV & Streaming: MR SATURDAY NIGHT

Coming to HBO & HBO Max this Thursday, December 9:
MR SATURDAY NIGHT

Director:
John Maggio

World Premiere:
DOC NYC 2021

About:
The untold story of Robert Stigwood, the impresario behind SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER and its record-breaking disco soundtrack.

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Streaming: ALL ABOUT MY SISTERS

Coming to OVID.tv today, Tuesday, December 7:
ALL ABOUT MY SISTERS

Director:
Wang Qiong

World Premiere:
Rotterdam 2021

Select Festivals:
New York Film Festival, Hamburg, BFI London, San Diego Asian

About:
An intimate, deeply felt portrait of Jin and her family filmed by her sister.

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On TV & Streaming: THE SLOW HUSTLE

Coming to HBO & HBO Max tomorrow, Tuesday, December 7:
THE SLOW HUSTLE

Director:
Sonja Sohn

World Premiere:
AFI Docs 2021

About:
After Baltimore Police Detective Sean Suiter is shot and found dead while on duty, the tragedy soon becomes enmeshed in a widening corruption scandal that threatens to unravel the public’s already strained relationship with law enforcement.

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On TV & Streaming: THE FOREVER PRISONER

Coming to HBO & HBO Max today, Monday, December 6:
THE FOREVER PRISONER

Director:
Alex Gibney

World Premiere:
HBO/HBO Max (Dec 2021)

About:
The chilling story of Abu Zubaydah, the first high-value detainee subjected to the CIA’s program of Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EITs), later identified as torture by those outside the agency. 

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Streaming: THE FIRST WAVE

Coming to Hulu this Sunday, December 5:
THE FIRST WAVE

Director:
Matthew Heineman

World Premiere:
Hamptons 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, BFI London, Busan, Hot Springs Doc, Philadelphia, Montclair, Savannah, AFI Fest

About:
A powerful look at the doctors, nurses, and patients on the frontlines during the “first wave” of COVID-19 in New York City from March to June 2020.

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In Theatres: TORN

Coming to theatres today, Friday, December 3:
TORN

Director:
Max Lowe

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
Camden

About:
Seventeen years after his death, the body of the director’s famed mountain climber father is discovered, and the family sets out to recover it. 

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In Theatres: FLEE

Coming to theatres today, Friday, December 3:
FLEE

Director:
Jonas Poher Rasmussen

World Premiere:
Sundance 2021

Select Festivals:
DOC NYC, Telluride, Toronto, New York, Karlovy Vary, Visions du Reel, ZagrebDox, Camden, Docs Against Gravity, Jerusalem, Melbourne, Göteborg, Hong Kong, Helsinki, Nordisk Panorama, Zurich, Busan, Reykjavik, El Gouna

About:
The affecting story of a former refugee who must confront the traumas of his past to move forward with his life.

I previously wrote about the doc before Sundance here.

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

Streaming: THE RESCUE

Coming to Disney+ tomorrow, Friday, December 3:
THE RESCUE

Director:
Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin

World Premiere:
Telluride 2021

Select Festivals:
Toronto, Mill Valley, Los Angeles Asian Pacific, Hot Springs Doc, Hamptons

About:
The harrowing tale of the rescue attempts of a group of 12 teenage athletes and their coach, who became stranded deep underground, as rapidly rising water filled a labyrinthine network of caves they were exploring

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Filed under Documentary, Film, Recommendations, Releases