After years of acting, Kristen Stewart has taken to directing, and her directorial debut has a near-perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stewart’s The Chronology of Water currently has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir from 2011, The Forge acquired domestic rights to the movie during its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
The Chronology of Water follows a competitive swimmer who must confront her turbulent past and traumatic upbringing by finding solace in literature. Yuknavitch’s autobiography became a bestseller and focuses on the journey to find your own voice and how trauma can transform into art. The movie stars Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, Jim Belushi, and Tom Sturridge.
The Forge will release the movie theatrically in North America later this year, but aims for a wider release by early January. The CEO of The Forge, Mark Mathias Sayre, spoke highly of Stewart’s vision and stated she “hasn’t just directed a film, she’s carved out a world with unmistakable vision: one that pulses with pain, desire, and defiance.”
Stewart worked on The Chronology of Water for eight years, and Sayre remains optimistic about the movie, stating, “The Chronology of Water is unlike anything we’ve ever released: visceral, expansive, and anchored by a performance from Imogen Poots that wrecks and rebuilds you.”
Stewart is known for her acting career, which gained prominence after her portrayal of Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga. She has been focused on more independent films, but has a well-established portfolio, including roles in Love Lies Bleeding, Charlie’s Angels, and Adventureland.
Poots is also a well-established star known for her roles in 28 Weeks Later, Green Room, and Filth. The actress is also slated for a role in the upcoming A24 movie October, directed by Jeremy Saulnier, and starring alongside Stephen Root, James Badge Dale, and Chase Sui Wonders.
Early reviews of The Chronology of Water have praised Poots’ portrayal of the lead role, and her performance has been described as Stewart’s “greatest asset”. While others praise Stewart for her direction as it’s “direct, fragmented, and visceral.”