‘The Chronology Of Water’ Trailer: Kristen Stewart’s Directing Debut Sets December Release Date

The Forge on Tuesday released a trailer for The Chronology of Water, the feature directing debut of Kristen Stewart that it acquired following its world premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Stewart also co-adapted the story from Lidia Yukanavitch’s memoir.

The film opens in New York and Los Angeles theaters on December 5 before getting a national rollout January 9.

Imogen Poots stars as Lidia, a young woman who finds escape from an abusive father through competitive swimming in the 1980s. After her athletic dreams are derailed, she navigates love, loss, addiction, sexuality and her own self-destructive impulses while discovering her voice, and healing, through the transformative act of writing.

Thora Birch, Jim Belushi, Earl Cave, Tom Sturridge, Charlie Carrick and Kim Gordon also star. Stewart co-wrote the pic Andy Mingo.

The film, shot on 16mm, is produced by Maggie McLean, Dylan Meyer, Michael Pruss, Rebecca Feuer, and Charles Gillibert. It got a 6 1/2-minute ovation at its debut screening in Cannes, where it played in the Un Certain Regard section.

“The reason that I wanted to make this was to screw with form, because it’s not about what happened to Lidia Yuknavitch, it’s what happens to us all and how we can internalize that violence,’ Stewart told Deadline in Cannnes. “I know it sounds dramatic, but it’s true. It’s incredibly violent to be a woman.”

The Forge acquired the pic later in the summer with an eye on an awards-season release.

Check out the trailer above.