Kristen Stewart Makes Directorial Debut with ‘The Chronology of Water’, A New Swimming Film

A new film set against the backdrop of swimming hit the screens last week, courtesy of famed actress-turned-director Kristen Stewart.

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Stewart is most famous for her work as an actress and is among the world’s highest paid actors, with her movies grossing billions globally.

Among her career highlights include Panic Room, Into the Wild, Adventureland, Charlie’s Angels, and a breakout performance as the female lead Bella Swan in The Twligt Saga film series.

Stewart directed “The Chronology of Water,” which is adapted from the 2011 memoir of the same name by Lidia Yuknavitch, in which a woman growing up in an abusive and alcoholic home leaves to accept a swimming scholarship with hopes of making it to the Olympics.

English actress Imogen Poots plays Yuknavitch, who seems to find a sense of purpose and escape in swimming before later turning to writing.

The film marks Stewart’s directorial debut and initially premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2025, where it received a standing ovation and widely positive reviews from critics.

In addition to directing the movie, Stewart also wrote the screenplay and was one of the producers behind the project.

In a recent interview, Stewart spoke about the impact of the film’s story.

“It’s so universal and it’s so, at times, buoyant, even though it’s about tough stuff,” Stewart said. “[Yuknavitch] makes it through, and she becomes such an embodied and full-voiced human being that, for me, there’s such a sense of accomplishment in her life that it’s kind of worth the slog. So, I can’t wait for people to experience that.”

The release of “The Chronology of Water” could usher in a new era of film representation for swimming. The sport has been seeking a new landmark cultural film since “Swimfan” came out in 2002, a teen psychological thriller about a popular student with a promising swimming career.

“The Chronology of Water” was released in limited theaters in the U.S. on December 5, 2025, and expanded to a wider release across the country on January 9, 2026.