Kristen Stewart steps into a new era of her career with The Chronology of Water, her long-awaited feature directorial debut. After years of acclaimed performances, the Hollywood star finally brings her voice behind the camera. And this debut already proves daring, emotional, and deeply personal.
The movie is based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s celebrated memoir, which explores trauma, addiction, sexuality, rage, and survival. Stewart connected with the material years ago, and she pushed to adapt the story with raw honesty. She co-wrote the screenplay with Andy Mingo, and together they shaped a script that leans into vulnerability instead of polish.
Stewart’s Journey Behind the Camera
Kristen Stewart co-wrote the screenplay with Andy Mingo, bringing a deeply personal vision to Yuknavitch’s story.
She revealed that finishing the movie was a spiritual process, she hoped the final cut would “crash and burn” because it still felt like a first draft.
The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it was met with a four-minute standing ovation.
Cast You Should Know
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Imogen Poots
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Thora Birch
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Susannah Flood .
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Tom Sturridge
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Jim Belushi
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Kim Gordon, Michael Epp, Earl Cave, Esmé Creed-Miles also appear.
Themes & Style
Stewart leans into a sensory and fragmented style, using soft visuals and poetic soundscapes to evoke memory and emotional pain.
The film tackles abuse, addiction, sexuality, and creative rebirth in an honest, unfiltered way.
Critics describe it as “intimate,” “visceral,” and unapologetically bold and it gives a deeply personal look at how trauma can be transformed into art.
Release Information
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Cannes Premiere: May 16, 2025.
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Limited Theatrical Release (US): December 5, 2025.
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Wider U.S. Release: January 9, 2026.
Reception So Far
The Chronology of Water has earned strong critical praise. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 94% Tomatometer score, highlighting Stewart’s ambitious direction and Poots’ powerful performance.
Reviewers at Cannes noted how Stewart balances beauty and brutality, she refuses to sanitize Lidia’s trauma, but also makes space for hope through writing and self-expression.
