Kristen Stewart’s Chronology of Water Trailer Unveils a Raw, Poetic Journey of Pain, Art & Reclamation

Kristen Stewart is behind the camera—and she’s not holding back. The first official trailer for The Chronology of Water, Stewart’s directorial debut, has been unveiled by Les Films du Losange, and it’s nothing short of haunting, visceral, and deeply poetic.

Based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s searing autobiographical memoir, the film stars Imogen Poots as Lidia — a woman wrestling with the violent, chaotic legacy of her upbringing while discovering her salvation through literature, sexuality, and self-reclamation. A fiercely non-linear meditation on trauma and transformation, The Chronology of Water explores what it means to own your story, even when it’s soaked in blood, shame, and survival.

From the opening moments of the trailer, Stewart’s directorial voice is crystal clear: raw, visual, and unflinching. Imogen Poots delivers what already feels like a career-defining performance, supported by a bold ensemble cast including Thora Birch, Earl Cave, Tom Sturridge, Jim Belushi, and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth — yes, that Kim Gordon — who adds a gritty edge and cultural depth to the mix.

The screenplay, co-written by Stewart and Yuknavitch’s husband Andy Mingo, doesn’t follow the typical rise-fall-redemption arc. Instead, it fractures and flows like memory, refusing to sanitize or simplify Lidia’s experience. It’s an exploration of what happens when you refuse to be a victim — or a trope — and instead turn your scars into stories.

Slated for a limited theatrical release on October 15, 2025, The Chronology of Water is already being hailed as one of the most daring and important indie films of the year, with early buzz pointing toward the fall film festival circuit (Venice or NYFF seem likely landing spots).

With its themes of female rage, queer identity, body politics, and artistic rebellion, this isn’t just a film — it’s a manifesto.