At the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in 2018, Kristen Stewart stood in solidarity with Ava DuVernay, Agnes Varda, Jane Fonda, and over 80 other women, staging a protest on the grandeur steps of the Palais to highlight the dire underrepresentation of female directors within the festival's lineup. That year, a mere three out of 21 competitive films were helmed by women.
Seven years hence, Stewart has returned to Cannes with her directorial debut, "The Chronology of Water," a journey fraught with challenges. "We had to venture beyond the United States to make this dream a reality," Stewart revealed, speaking of the arduous quest to secure funding for her film.
On May 16th, Stewart engaged in a thought-provoking conversation with actor and musician Kim Gordon, from the film "Chronology," at Hyde Beach by Campari, presented by Breaking Through Lens, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting filmmakers who face marginalization due to their gender in obtaining financing for their projects. At this event, Lauren Melinda, the founder of Simbelle Productions, introduced the Simbelle Impact Award, a $10,000 unrestricted grant bestowed upon a finalist from the next Breaking Through Lens grant cycle, whose project embodies both social impact and artistic clarity.
Despite her status as one of Hollywood's biggest luminaries, Stewart was compelled to travel to Europe to bring "Chronology" to life. Based on Lidia Yuknavitch's 2011 eponymous memoir, the film charts the journey of a once-promising Olympic swimmer who loses her scholarship, grapples with addiction, and embarks on a self-discovery quest involving her sexuality and a love for literature.
Stewart acknowledged that she wasn't the right fit to portray Yuknavitch, but her decision not to star in the film exacerbated the funding struggle. "The list of actors—both women and men—who can finance a movie in the entertainment industry baffles me. They shift so rapidly, and I find them utterly inexplicable," she confessed. Ultimately, Stewart cast Imogen Poots in the lead role.
Stewart's remarks preceded the May 16th premiere of "Chronology" in the Un Certain Regard section at this year's Cannes Film Festival. The festival showcases seven films directed by women out of its 22-film competitive lineup, a far cry from gender parity.
When asked about her future aspirations as a director, Stewart enthused, "I yearn to act in something I direct, and I hope to make it happen soon." However, for the moment, she is overjoyed to witness "Chronology" unfold before an audience, likening the experience to watching her child's kindergarten debut: "I beam with pride, thinking, 'Look at her go!'"
