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Posted 1/09/2026
Directed by Kristen Stewart in her feature directorial debut, "The Chronology of Water" is a visceral and non-linear adaptation of Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2011 memoir. The film stars Imogen Poots as Lidia, portraying her turbulent journey from a traumatic childhood in the Pacific Northwest to her emergence as a powerful literary voice. Eschewing traditional biographical tropes, Stewart utilizes an impressionistic style to mirror the "fluidity" of memory, focusing on how a life shaped by abuse, addiction, and grief can be reclaimed through art and physical resilience.
The narrative anchors itself in Lidia’s relationship with water, specifically her years as a competitive swimmer, which serves as both a literal escape from her dysfunctional home and a metaphor for her survival. As she spirals through self-destructive cycles and the profound heartbreak of a stillbirth, the film captures her raw, often punishing evolution. Support from cast members like Thora Birch, Jim Belushi (playing Ken Kesey), and Michael Epp provides a grounded backdrop to Lidia’s chaotic personal odyssey.
Shot on 16mm film to achieve a gritty, sensory texture, the movie has been lauded for its bold visual language and Poots’s "ferocious" central performance. It is a story about "re-possessing" one's own body and history, ultimately finding salvation in the act of writing. By the time the credits roll, the film stands as a challenging but cathartic exploration of how the most broken experiences can be transformed into something enduringly beautiful.
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