ABOUT THE FILM
A Cambodian Spring is an intimate and unique portrait of three people caught up in the chaotic and often violent development that is shaping modern-day Cambodia. Shot over 6 years, the film charts the growing wave of land-rights protests that led to the ‘Cambodian Spring’ and the tragic events that followed. This film is about the complexities – both political and personal, of fighting for what you believe in.
Director Chris Kelly said “A Cambodian Spring is for me a deeply personal film, which took nine years to complete. It is an exploration of what motivates us, what gives our lives meaning, and what happens when our personal desires colour and shape our actions. It is an unapologetically subjective portrait of my time in Cambodia, of the people who shared their lives with me and of the shifting landscapes, both physical and emotional, that I found there.”
A Cambodian Spring had its world premiere at the prestigious Hot Docs festival in Toronto, Canada in May 2017. The film won the Special Jury Prize for International Feature Documentary and went on to receive many more awards and nominations including a BAFTA for Outstanding British Debut and an IFTA for Best Documentary. The film screened at film festivals all over the world including Busan, Docs MX and Antenna and was released in cinemas in the UK in Ireland to widespread critical acclaim.