In a candid London interview, Kristen Stewart and Imogen Poots delve into the creation of The Chronology of Water, Stewart's fiercely personal directorial debut. The film, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch's experimental memoir, has been described as a 'punk rock ayahuasca trip' that confronts themes of pain, loss, and the reclamation of desire with unflinching honesty.
A Film That Demands a Reaction
Stewart, known for her acting roles, approaches her first feature with a director's ferocious vision. 'The movie is to be eaten alive and re-metabolised and shat out differently, from everyone's perspective,' she states, acknowledging the film's divisive nature. She takes pride in its authenticity, highlighting a memorable Letterboxd review: 'The Chronology of what the fuck did I just watch?' For Stewart, the crucial factor is that the film provokes a genuine response, whether adoration or aversion.
From Page to Screen: A Vicious Ambition
Stewart first encountered Yuknavitch's book in 2018 and was immediately compelled to adapt it. 'Forty pages in, I was so rallied and so viciously adamant that nobody else could make the movie but me,' she recalls. She was drawn to its physicality and its exploration of female power and vulnerability. 'As a woman, we have these seeping birthplaces that are our orifices, and it's where we hold our power, but it's also where we're taken advantage of,' Stewart explains, setting the tone for a conversation far removed from typical promotional chatter.
Author Lidia Yuknavitch, speaking from Oregon, describes receiving a 'wildly exciting email' from Stewart, who argued passionately against a conventional biopic. Yuknavitch, a long-time admirer of Stewart's work, felt an artistic connection, noting that artists often find each other through unseen threads.
Navigating Industry Bias and Financial Hurdles
The path to production was fraught with difficulty. Stewart and Poots discuss the double standard in how confessional literature is perceived, arguing it is celebrated when written by men but often belittled when coming from women. 'We've just been fully X-ed out of modernism in the canon,' Stewart asserts. This bias extended to financing the film, with the subject matter—encompassing incest, rape, and trauma—proving a 'really tough sell.' Development stretched over eight years, with even Stewart's producer initially discouraging the project.
Imogen Poots: The Essential Collaborator
Imogen Poots delivers a raw, bodily performance as the adult Lidia. Stewart's loyalty to her was absolute and bluntly stated: 'She's my favourite actor, and everyone else sucked.' Poots jokes that casting her, rather than a major star, made securing funding harder. Their partnership proved foundational, with both planning to make more films together.
The supporting cast, including Kim Gordon, Thora Birch, and Jim Belushi, formed a 'merry band of misfits.' Stewart emphasises that no favours were given, quipping, 'we got fucked. In the face. Over and over.' She highlights the unusual dynamic on set, where male actors were explicitly told the focus was not on them, but on servicing Poots's character.
Thora Birch on Shared Experiences and Stewart's Vision
Thora Birch, who plays Lidia's sister Claudia, joined the project out of trust in Stewart, with whom she shares the experience of childhood fame. 'Maybe I related to her because we're both performers who started out very, very young,' Birch reflects. She praises Stewart's handling of fame and her retained individuality.
Birch sees the film as emblematic of a female experience rarely dissected in cinema, dealing with 'period blood and stillborns and familial sexual abuse.' She describes the final product as a marriage of 'fantasy and poeticism, and also the human experience,' ultimately affirming: 'Homegirl can direct. She knows what's up.'
The Chronology of Water rejects conventional narrative for a fluid, memory-based structure. It stands as a bold artistic statement from Kristen Stewart, marking her transition from movie star to a director with a distinct, uncompromising voice.
