Kristen Stewart has a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote her directorial debut, The Chronology of Water. It’s based on the memoir of the same name by Lidia Yuknavitch, 61, an American former competitive swimmer turned novelist. Stewart was so moved by the book that she contacted Yuknavitch before she had finished the first chapter. The result is a screenplay co-written by Stewart and Andy Mingo, and a movie starring Imogen Poots, premiering today at Cannes. (We don’t have those photos yet, but we do have these ones taken of her today outside her hotel.)
In Stewart’s talk with THR she’s raw, open and vulnerable about this film, which she says is just a first draft, and about her process in general. That’s not surprising coming from an actress whose vulnerability is captivating on screen. (I’m not blowing smoke, I’ve been a fan ever since I saw her in Happiest Season.) Stewart is guarded about her future plans though, just saying that she has 10 more movies she wants to make “yesterday,” but she knows better than to talk about them. Part of that may be due to the fact that the fascist in charge has his senile sights set on Stewart’s industry, which she’s all too aware of. I’m excerpting just a small part of the interview, and there’s much more at the source.
“Why did Kristen Stewart land on The Chronology of Water for her first directing gig?”
It was just a book that I read and impulsively, after 40 pages, put down and reached out to the writer. I thought, “There are certain things that I’ve read that really do live in your brain and it would be an honor for them to live there.” And they get to multiply within your own personal experience. But this one felt like it needed to get up and share space with a lot of people. It was one of those books that I wanted to read out loud with all of my friends. It was one of those books that felt like a choir that you wanted to join. It felt like permission. And also this relationship that the book has to the corporeal and the physical… it’s uncharted territory in the cinema that I have personally consumed. We’re not reinventing the wheel or saying anything that someone else hasn’t said before.On the changes in her industry
The loss is so palpable. It’s an exciting time to be alive. And it’s cool that we all get to be loud together, but at the same time, is that going to do anything? What’s gonna happen? I think we’re all looking over our shoulders going, “Holy sh-t.” The slippage is just terrifying.“How big a shadow do you think Trump has cast over Hollywood and the film industry?”
You mean like, for fear of being put on some “f-k you” list?“And also the movie tariffs, encouraging such polarizing belief systems, or making Hollywood even more risk-averse than it already is.”
We discuss this every day, like, what’s gonna happen? [Especially] now that we’ve finally found our voices… Not that it wasn’t treacherous before but now, [it is] in a way that is so literal, so strikingly essential and vital than ever, but naturally terrifying. I think [Trump’s] shadow is bleak and very dark. You could almost say opaque. And I think to try and work through that is what we’re going to do. But in terms of knowing anything, I think we should expect the worst and fight for the best. Stay vigilant. Look alive.“How do you feel about arriving in Cannes as a filmmaker, rather than an actor?”
I cannot believe it. There’s not a more eloquent way [to say it]. We barely finished this movie. It’s not even done. I need to come home and literally have two more weeks in color and sound. This is my f-king first draft. Like, we are picture perfect. But when I tell you, we slid a very thin piece of paper under a closed door and they were like, “Sure.” My head blew off. This was such a f-king Hail Mary, because [Cannes] is the place that you would like to go have conversations. So I was like, “F-k it. We might as well try it.” I am not being false humble — we’re all running on fumes. I was like, “We can do it.” I was like an absolute basket case. I’m kind of happy to take on something vulnerable. I’m happy to take something with mistakes. Mistakes are f-king hot. I love stories about movies and filmmakers that have taken their films to Cannes and had to come back and fix a few things and release a different movie. It’s all about revealing yourself. So it’s very meta that we’re running in here half-dressed. But I’m into it.“How do you hope audiences react to The Chronology of Water?”
I’ve said this, but people can interact with all of my work however they see fit. I really invite all of it. And that’s not like a self-preservation thing to say. I mean it. I’m like, this was the best we could do. This is what we meant to say. It might not land on everyone the same. In fact, when I say it absolutely won’t land on everyone the same. That’s not the point of — and I say this in a French accent — cinéma. We’re supposed to have relationships with the art that’s put into the world. And they’re not all good ones. I guess as long as you do something that feels authentic in the very present moment. I can feel differently about it tomorrow. I can regret everything tomorrow. Right now, I don’t, so I’m very, very, very grateful to be in the place that I’ve always wanted to be. I’ve always looked up to [Cannes] with such reverence. Even if it’s messy, and honestly, my movie should be messy. This f-cking thing should sprawl. It sounds so dramatic, I mean this in a way that is incredibly celebratory — it should be a woman limping and bleeding.“These 10 films that you want to make in the next five years. Can you talk about any of them?”
Definitely not. This is something I do, I always tease too early.
There’s much more in the piece, including how much she respects and admires Imogen Poots, whom she describes as like a sister. It made me excited for this film and it doesn’t even have a trailer I can find yet. Kristen is clearly burning the candle at both ends, and it shows in these photos of her today looking tired.Her approach to her work is admirable – she did the best she could, she’s open to revisions depending on the reception at Cannes and she knows that people will react to it differently.
As for her thoughts about Trump and the new reality we’re living under, a lot of people in so many different industries feel the same. We’re afraid we’ll be on some sort of list, but we just have to show up to work every day, do what we can and let it be messy and imperfect. I just finished season one of Andor and there are a lot of lessons there for resisting tyranny. Our small acts of resistance matter and our work matters.
I’m assuming this outfit is Chanel. It’s not cute. Her makeup looks ok in some photos and in others she looks washed out. Her hair color doesn’t really suit her, but she’ll fix it I’m sure. She switches up her hair often.
Photos credit: Manuele Mangiarott/IPA/INSTARimages, Aissaoui Nacer/Backgrid