Kristen Stewart’s directorial debut The Chronology of Water premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, earning a four-minute standing ovation for its raw, non-linear storytelling and standout performance by Imogen Poots.

Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, the film explores childhood trauma, drug abuse, and emotional healing through the metaphor of water. Stewart co-wrote the screenplay with Yuknavitch’s husband, Andy Mingo.

Speaking after the screening, Stewart thanked her team and Cannes, calling the experience “insane” and “surreal.”

The long-gestating project, filmed in Latvia and Malta in 2024, faced years of financing challenges. Stewart, who vowed not to act again until it was made, said she hopes to create “a yet-to-be-written female language” in cinema.