This is what critics are saying about Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut, The Chronology of Water
Kristen Stewart’s feature directoiral debut, The Chronology of Water, premiered at Cannes. (Andrejs Strokins)
Kristen Stewart's feature directoiral debut, The Chronology of Water, premiered at Cannes. (Andrejs Strokins)
The Cannes Film Festival was blessed with not only an appearance from Kristen Stewart, but also the premiere of her feature directorial debut, The Chronology of Water.
It’s been a long time coming: Stewart has been working for 8 years to make this film happen, and, according to the critics, it was all worth it.
The 35-year-old Twilight and Love Lies Bleeding star has appeared in front of the camera for years, but she’s now stepping behind the lens for her first feature film.
Previously, Stewart has directed two short films as well as music videos for Chvches and Boygenius.
Kristen Stewart’s feature debut, The Chronology of Water, was co-written with Andy Mingo and based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2011 memoir of the same name, which examines topics of violence, sexuality, addiction, self-destruction, and survival.
The film is also the first from Nevermind Pictures, the production company set up by Kristen Stewart, Stewart’s wife, screenwriter-producer Dylan Meyer (the pair married in an intimate LA wedding this April), and producer Maggie McLean.
The “hard to watch” film charts a young Olympic hopeful who flees her abusive home for a swimming scholarship in Texas.
British star Imogen Poots, known for 28 Weeks Later and Need for Speed, is taking the lead role.
Her character is set to tackle addiction and motherhood, all while pushing herself in the pool and finding herself in the written word.
Just moments before The Chronology of Water was screened for the first time, Stewart introduced her picture with the iconic line: “Let’s rip off the band aid and watch this f***ing movie.”
Holding an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, early reviews of the film praise Stewart’s directorial style, Poots’ enigmatic performance and the film’s handling of sexuality.
“Not taking on the lead role herself but imbuing every frame of this film with the tensile strength we’ve come to admire in her as an actor, Stewart instead directs Imogen Poots to the greatest performance of her career,” a review from RogerEbert.com reads.
“Stewart’s blood, sweat, and tears are all over this passion project, as are the eight years she spent figuring out precisely how to bring it to the screen.
“The resulting film is raw and brilliant, a riveting story of creative rebirth that signifies hers most of all.”
A review from Little White Lies praises Stewart’s approach to the subject: “There’s a potent earnestness about The Chronology of Water – Stewart shows a deep empathy for her subject, and Yuknavitch’s memoir is transformed with an unapologetic confidence”
Though the review describes the film as “an imperfect but compelling first feature,” it remarks that it “ is a statement of intent about Stewart’s filmmaking future.”
“The Chronology of Water isn’t some pretty good, prosaic, actor-directs-actors-how-to-read-the-script thing. It’s far more artful and captivating than that,” the Variety review from Cannes begins.
The review also details that Stewart presents herself with a confidence beyond a debut filmmaker: “Stewart films virtually the entire movie in close-up, without establishing shots — and, more significantly, without the kind of expository setup that so many scenes in movies have but don’t need.”
The Hollywood Reporter echoes this praise for Stewart’s directorial style: “Stewart also appears to have found her voice, announcing the seriousness of her intentions not with auteurist self-importance but with unimpeachable commitment to honoring her subject’s story.
“Stewart and Poots thrust us into the molten core of Lidia’s experience, forcing us — with emotional candor rather than manipulation — to know her pain.”
The Guardian describes The Chronology of Water as a “choppy but compelling” debut with some “callow indie indulgences.”
However, the review does conclude that the film “is an earnest and heartfelt piece of work, and Stewart has guided strong, intelligent performances.”
Here are some more early reactions from The Chronology of Water viewers:
The Chronology of Water had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival on May 16, 2025.
