In a notable event for film enthusiasts, Jonathan Demme’s influential nonfiction work, Swimming to Cambodia, is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray for the first time. This highly anticipated edition arrives in May and showcases a remastered version of the film.

About the Film

Swimming to Cambodia is derived from Spalding Gray’s extensive monologue detailing his experiences in Southeast Asia while filming the Oscar-winning 1984 movie, The Killing Fields. Demme’s film distills Gray’s original four-hour performance into a concise 85-minute presentation, capturing the essence of Gray’s insightful storytelling.

Features of the New Release

This special Blu-ray edition, produced by Cinématographe, a division of Vinegar Syndrome, boasts a new 2K remaster derived from the original camera negative. In addition to the remastered film, the release includes an array of supplementary features:

• New audio commentary with film critic Scout Tafoya
• “Lifting Up the Carpet” – an interview with Roland Joffé, director of The Killing Fields
• “A Good Story is a Good Story” – an interview with executive producer Ira Deutchman
• “The Great Sensorium of the World” – an interview with producer Edward Saxon
• Archival video interview with Jonathan Demme from 2013
• Two episodes of the Pure Nonfiction podcast featuring discussions about Demme and Gray
• New text essays from film critics including Marya E. Gates and Chris Shields

Special Editions Available

Alongside the standard Blu-ray release, a limited edition of 100 units will be available, bundled with a paperback copy of Gray’s book, also titled Swimming to Cambodia. Both versions will be exclusively sold through the Vinegar Syndrome website.

Reflections on the Film’s Impact

Justin LaLiberty, the director of operations at Vinegar Syndrome, expressed his pride in presenting this edition. “Working with Jonathan Demme in the last few years of his life was an honor,” he stated. He added, “It is high time for his vital Spalding Gray performance film Swimming to Cambodia to get the Blu-ray debut it has somehow dodged for so long.”

Previous Releases

The film was previously released on DVD in 2013, but this upcoming Blu-ray edition promises to be the most comprehensive version available, aiming to introduce both new audiences and longtime fans to a seminal work in American cinema.