Kristen Stewart Gets Emotional After Directorial Debut ‘The Chronology of Water’ Receives Warm Reception in Cannes

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At the world premiere of Kristen Stewart’s highly anticipated directorial venture, titled The Chronology of Water, held in Cannes on Friday evening, the audience at the Palais des Festivals responded enthusiastically with a prolonged four-and-a-half-minute standing ovation.

A joyful Stewart warmly greeted her cast members with hugs and slaps on the back, as the applause continued. Later, she energetically made her way through the auditorium to offer a heartfelt embrace to Thierry Frémaux, the director of Cannes Film Festival.

Stewart, full of emotion, affectionately hugged and patted her actors as the cheers persisted. Later, she excitedly sprinted across the auditorium to give a warm hug to Thierry Frémaux, the head honcho at Cannes.

Stewart commented, ‘I’ve run out of words; I poured my heart into the performance.’ Essentially, he expressed his gratitude for everyone being present. In truth, we just wrapped up filming a few minutes ago – it’s still not complete. We’ve been incredibly fortunate, and I’m deeply appreciative to be in this moment.

Afterward, she signaled for Imogen Poots, her co-star, to grab the microphone. She said, “Indeed, your whole being embodies the film; it’s yours to carry.

As an ardent admirer, I couldn’t help but express my feelings when I said, “She is simply the greatest director, and I truly hope everyone enjoyed the film.

For the first time as a director, Stewart’s innovative work is being showcased in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section. This part of the festival spotlights unique and bold productions that often have unusual styles. Although it’s well-respected, this section doesn’t have a formal red-carpet premiere. Consequently, Stewart and her cast chose to attend the screening in casual clothing instead of traditional high-fashion attire.

Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s acclaimed 2011 memoir named “The Chronology of Water”, the movie follows Poots in the role of Lidia, a young woman navigating her way through personal hardships such as trauma, addiction, and self-discovery following a significant loss. The story is narrated non-chronologically, reflecting the fluid, episodic nature of the memoir, taking us on Lidia’s journey from her competitive swimming days and restrictive family life to self-destruction, sexual awakening as a queer individual, and ultimately, her transformation into a writer after rebirth.

In 2024, Scott Free Productions, under the supervision of Ridley Scott, filmed a project across Latvia and Malta over a span of six weeks. Emily Stewart, along with co-writer Andy Mingo, adapted Emily Yuknavitch’s memoir for the big screen, preserving its unique, free-flowing narrative style. The cast includes Thora Birch, Earl Cave, Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth, Jim Belushi, and several other notable actors in supporting roles.

Stewart was typically open and spontaneous when speaking with THR about the movie prior to its debut. “I can’t believe it,” she expressed about going back to the Côte d’Azur to introduce her first film as a feature director, followed by, “this is my initial script… We’re rushing in here partially undressed. But I’m enthusiastic about it.

She playfully expressed her hope that the book “The Chronology of Water” might face criticism at Cannes, and further commented that errors can be “extremely attractive.

Stewart expressed that she harbored a desire to direct even before her acting career in Hollywood took off, approximately two decades ago. She recalled that the initial spark for directing occurred when she was just about nine years old.

This year at Cannes, several prominent figures are making their directorial debuts. Scarlett Johansson is set to reveal her film, titled “Eleanor the Great“, which stars 95-year-old actress June Squibb, and Harris Dickinson, known for his role in Babygirl and upcoming work with Sam Mendes on Sony’s Beatles biopics, will premiere his feature drama, named “Urchin“.

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2025-05-17 02:24