At the Cannes Film Festival 2025, Kristen Stewart spoke out against the traditional belief that extensive technical expertise is required to make movies. She deemed this viewpoint as outdated and biased during her preparations for her directorial debut.
The former actress-turned-movie-director is currently present at the Cannes Film Festival, where her first directorial work, “The Chronology of Water“, is being premiered in the Un Certain Regard section. In a discussion by the organization Breaking Through the Lens, Stewart discussed and highlighted the persistent obstacles that continue to hinder new voices, particularly women, from assuming the role of a director.
As stated by Variety, Stewart argued that the requirement for technical expertise before one can direct is a restrictive approach rooted in traditional, male-dominated ideologies. She emphasized that anyone with a valuable message to share can produce a film and criticized the notion that formal education or extensive experience are essential.
In simpler terms, Stewart expressed that there’s a common misconception, often rooted in a masculine viewpoint, which suggests that having experience or technical skills is essential for success in business. He argues that this notion is overstated, and anyone can create a movie if they have a compelling message to share.
Apart from sharing her own struggles with securing funding for The Chronology of Water, the Twilight actress emphasized that the main challenge isn’t technical skill, but rather time commitment and dedication, especially when it comes to locating financial resources. Unfortunately, she didn’t find backing in America, so she chose to film the project outside of the U.S., specifically in Latvia and Malta.
However, no level of education or ability seems to matter; if one simply allows themselves to express and connect with their inner thoughts, a movie will emerge from within. It’s surprising it didn’t happen sooner… And I eagerly anticipate the next creation.
The film is based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir and showcases Imogen Poots in a multidecade character portrayal. Stewart mentioned that although she plans to act in her future directorial projects, she felt that Poots was ideal for the main role due to an inherent, indescribable quality she embodied in it.
Stewart shared tales from backstage, like how she felt nervous about writing letters to Fiona Apple to obtain rights for two songs used in the movie. She received a direct reply from the singer, which she described as a special moment. Additionally, she acknowledged Sofia Coppola and Rose Glass for providing her with early script suggestions during the eight years she spent co-writing the script.
Kristen Stewart encouraged young female filmmakers to critically examine traditional practices within the industry, and to view arbitrary guidelines and tight timelines with a skeptical eye.
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2025-05-17 11:52