Swimming to Cambodia

Spalding Gray was an icon of American theater, known for his innovative style of autobiographical monologues that effortlessly blend personal storytelling with comedy, history, and investigative journalism. Swimming to Cambodia was his first masterwork, an exhilarating tour de force recounting his time as a supporting actor onthe movie The Killing Fields (itself an Academy Award–winning film about the Cambodian genocide). Jonathan Demme skillfully transfers Gray's thrilling performancefrom stage to screen with precision and simplicity. It’s minimalist, functional storytelling—just a man, a map,a microphone—but don’t let that fool you. This is a tale you won’t soon forget. Gray’s electrifying monologue spans the entire spectrum of human emotion as he searches for truth and meaning in man’s darkest moments. IN PERSON: Distributor Ira Deutchman.