Kristen Stewart to make feature film directorial debut

Kristen Stewart is set to direct The Chronology of Water, based on the memoir by poet and writer Lidia Yuknavitch.

Per Deadline, the story follows a young woman who "finds her voice through the written word and her salvation as a swimmer – ultimately becoming a triumphant teacher, mother and a singular modern writer. A survivor’s story and a sexually abrasive and honest coming of age, the film is a physical memory wash of Yuknavitch’s inner life." Imogen Poots (The Father, Outer Range) is set to star.

"Lidia’s memoir honors corporeal experience, radically," said Stewart. "To make that experience physical feels vital to me and what this impulse means … is that it absolutely must be a film. This project has been cooking for five years with the help of Scott Free, whom I could not be more privileged to have as partners and friends. Imogen Poots will carry this movie and the staggering weight of Lidia’s life. She can hold it. I am beyond lucky to have her."

Ridley Scott is set to produce along with Michael Pruss under his Scott Free production banner, which also produced Stewart's 2017 short film directorial debut Come Swim. Stewart will co-adapt the script with Andy Mingo, who's set to adapt Chuck Palahniuk's Lullaby for the big screen.

"Ridley and I are delighted to be working with Kristen again, this time on her feature directorial debut, adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s extraordinary memoir," Pruss said. "Just as we have seen in Kristen’s short films as a director, I have no doubt that she will bring that same level of style, uniqueness and fearless emotionality to The Chronology of Water."

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