‘Being a woman is a violent experience,' says Kristen Stewart
CANNES : 'I can't wait to make 10 more movies,' Kristen Stewart told AFP the morning after making what Rolling Stone called 'one hell of a directorial debut' at the Cannes film festival.
Nor can film critics judging from the rave reviews of 'The Chronology of Water', her startling take on the American swimmer Lidia Yuknavitch's visceral memoir of surviving abuse as a child.
All the producers who Stewart said passed on her script, saying its subject matter made it 'really unattractive' to audiences, must now be crying into their champagne.
Variety called it 'a stirring drama of abuse and salvation, told with poetic passion', while Indiewire critic David Ehrlich said 'there isn't a single millisecond of this movie that doesn't bristle with the raw energy of an artist'.
The fact that she has got such notices with what is normally a no-no subject in Hollywood – and with an avant-garde approach to the storytelling – is remarkable.
'I definitely don't consider myself a part of the entertainment industry,' said the 'Twilight' saga star, dressed head to toe in Chanel.
And those looking for something light and frothy would do better to avoid her unflinching film.
Stewart has long been obsessed with the story and with Yuknavitch's writing, and fought for years to make the movie her way.
'I had just never read a book like that that is screaming out to be a movie, that needs to be moving, that needs to be a living thing,' she told AFP.
That Yuknavitch was 'able to take really ugly things, process them, and put out something that you can live with, something that actually has joy' is awe-inspiring, she added.
'Book is a total lifeboat'
'The reason I really wanted to make the movie is because I thought it was hilarious in such a giddy and excited way, like we were telling secrets. I think the book is a total lifeboat,' said Stewart, who also wrote the screenplay.
It certainly saved Yuknavitch and made her a cult writer, with her viral TED Talk 'The Beauty of Being a Misfit' inspiring a spin-off book, 'The Misfit's Manifesto'.
'Being a woman is a really violent experience,' Stewart told AFP, 'even if you don't have the sort of extreme experience that we depict in the film or that Lidia endured and came out of beautifully'.
Stewart insisted there were no autobiographical parallels per se that drew her to the original book.
But 'I didn't have to do a bunch of research (for the film). I'm a female body that's been walking around for 35 years. Look at the world that we live in.
'I don't have to have been abused by my dad to understand what it is like to be taken from, to have my voice stifled, and to not trust myself. It takes a lot of years (for that) to go.
'I think that this movie resonates with anyone who is open and bleeding, which is 50 percent of the population.'
Stewart – who cast singer Nick Cave's son Earl as the swimmer's first husband and Sonic Youth rock band's Kim Gordon as a dominatrix – told reporters she was never really tempted to play Yuknavitch herself.
'We are walking secrets'
Instead she cast British actor Imogen Poots, who she called 'the best actress of our generation. She is so lush, so beautiful and she's so cracked herself open in this'.
'She has this big boob energy in the film – even though she is quite flat-chested – these big blue eyes and this long hair.'
She described her movie's fever-dream energy as 'a pink muscle that is throbbing' and that Poots was able to tap into, channelling Yuknavitch's ferocious but often chaotic battle to rebuild herself and find pleasure and happiness in her life.
'Pain and pleasure, they're so tied, there's a hairline fracture there,' Stewart told the Cannes Festival's video channel.
Yuknavitch's book 'sort of meditates on what art can do for you after people do things to your body – the violation and the thievery, the gouging out of desire. Which is a very female experience.'
She said 'it is only the stories we tell ourselves that keep us alive', and that art and writing helped liberate Yuknavitch and find a skin she could live in.
Stewart said Yuknavitch discovered that the only way to take desire back was to 'bespoke it… and repurpose the things that have been given to you in order for you to own them.'
'I'm not being dramatic, but as women we are walking secrets,' the actor said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Malay Mail
Too fabulous? ‘Aggressive' minority forces Paris suburb to nix ‘Barbie' movie night using gay promotion claim
PARIS, Aug 16 — An open-air screening of Greta Gerwig's blockbuster Barbie in Noisy-le-Sec, Seine-Saint-Denis, was abruptly cancelled last night after a group of youths threatened municipal workers and vowed to stop the film, prompting the mayor to call off the event for safety reasons. The threats occurred in the Londeau neighbourhood where the film was set to be shown as part of Est Ensemble's summer programming at nightfall, French news site Le Parisien reported. Mayor Olivier Sarrabeyrouse (PCF) revealed the cancellation on social media, explaining that aggressive youth had threatened to prevent the screening and destroy the equipment. The mayor reported that opponents claimed the film 'promotes homosexuality and is an attack on women's integrity,' which he dismissed as 'fallacious arguments.' City staff attempted to negotiate with the protesters but were forced to contact the mayor when the situation became increasingly aggressive and they felt endangered. Local resident Marie-Jeanne confirmed the confrontation, noting that staff told protesters it would be 'Barbie or nothing,' resulting in the cancellation when no alternative film could be arranged. The film had been democratically selected through a public vote where 214 residents participated, with 'Barbie' receiving 33 votes citywide and 13 votes in the Londeau neighbourhood specifically. Opposition politician Jean-Paul Lefebvre criticised the film choice as 'surprising' and suggested the incident represented 'a mark of rebellion against the mayor.' Mayor Sarrabeyrouse condemned what he called a 'censorship committee within the housing estate' and pointed out that 'Barbie' has never been banned in France. The mayor announced he would file a police complaint over the threats and declared 'I will not give in' to such intimidation tactics.
New Straits Times
5 days ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Bringing back the creeps
WHO doesn't love a good horror film? Well… not everyone. Horror movies tend to attract a special breed of masochists — the kind who enjoy being terrified by monsters, zombies, spirits, demons, ghosts, aliens, scary clowns, creepy dolls, masked strangers with chainsaws, or possessed little girls with long black hair. We've seen a lot of those lately. And frankly, the horror genre feels stuck in a loop. How many more haunted houses, demonic possessions, spooky kids, and menacing clowns do we need before it all starts to blend into one big scream-fest déjà vu? As a horror fan, I'll admit it: I'm bored. Hollywood continues to recycle the same tired formulas, offering little in terms of surprise or originality. Forget compelling story arcs or clever plot twists — most horror films today are just a parade of jump scares, eerie sound design, and creatively gory deaths, all delivered by the usual line-up of creepy demons doing creepy demon things. Which is why I walked into 'Bring Her Back' — screened recently at GSC Starling Mall — with zero expectations. Forget jump scares, lurking demons, or axe-wielding maniacs. 'Bring Her Back' is a slow-burn horror — quiet, restrained, and heavy with unease. It doesn't rely on easy scares. Instead, it creeps under your skin and stays there, unsettling in all the ways that matter. It trades cheap thrills for thick, abject horror and psychological despair — anchored by an intensely disturbing performance from Sally Hawkins as Laura, a foster mother from hell. A former social worker, Laura takes in two teens: Piper (Sora Wong), who is vision-impaired, and her older brother Andy (Billy Barratt). And it is around them that the real horror unfolds. Directed by Adelaide-born filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, 'Bring Her Back' opens with a freak accident that sets a grim tone. After discovering their father dead in the shower, 17-year-old Andy and his sister Piper are placed in the care of Laura, who also fosters a mute boy named Oliver. Laura's own daughter, Cathy — who was also blind — had tragically drowned in the backyard pool. As Andy settles into the new environment, he becomes increasingly disturbed by Laura's erratic behaviour and Oliver's unsettling presence. Laura, meanwhile, begins to quietly manipulate Andy, sowing doubt about his ability to care for Piper and chipping away at his grip on reality. I won't give too much away, but 'Bring Her Back' burrows deep into the emotional terrain of grief and loss. Grief can twist people in terrible ways, and sometimes, desperation drives the horror more than any ghost ever could. Sally Hawkins captures that perfectly, delivering a performance that makes you want to flee from her and yet pity her, all at once. Another standout in the creepy department (though let's be honest, everyone in this film is unsettling) is Oliver, played with eerie precision by Jonah Wren-Phillips. He delivers just the right amount of discomfort to make you squirm in your seat or hide under it. Some scenes are so visceral, you might want to set aside your popcorn or burger. 'Bring Her Back' is equal parts artful and unhinged, leaving you unsure whether to be impressed, horrified, disgusted, or just plain traumatised. Whatever it is, it's worth a watch. Duration: 105 mins Classification: 18
Free Malaysia Today
6 days ago
- Free Malaysia Today
‘Weapons' turns missing-children trope into a genre-bending nightmare
'Weapons' shows what horror films can be, other than the usual tropes. (Warner Bros. pic) You've heard stories about children gone missing at the edge of the forest, cautionary tales about witches, stranger danger, and the blackness of the night. The Brothers Grimm's 'Hansel and Gretel' is one classic that comes to mind. Zach Cregger's 'Weapons' takes this premise and gives it his own wicked spin, conjuring a story that will quite instantly engulf audiences with an unnerving sense of dread, painfully (and intentionally) drawn out tension, and a cautionary tale unlike any other. But what might divide cinemagoers is Cregger's injection of dark comedy that brings something fresh and unexpected to a horror film, but at the same time, might annoy horror movie buffs. After all, Cregger's 2022 horror outing 'Barbarian', starring Bill Skarsgård, Georgina Campbell, and Justin Long, was considered a masterpiece. 'Barbarian' brilliantly drew audiences into a false premise before subverting it into a nightmarish episode. So, if you're expecting something similar … get ready. Cregger delivers but not in the way you would expect. In 'Weapons', 17 children go mysteriously missing, each running in a weird manner into the darkness. (Warner Bros. pic) 'Weapons', which runs for 128 minutes, stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Cary Christopher, and Amy Madigan. Instead of tracking a particular character from start to end, Cregger offers multiple storylines and points of view, before turning it on its head and taking audiences on a wild and darkly comic ride. In the small town of Maybrook, a community is shattered when 17 children from the same elementary school class vanish into the night. The disappearances are captured on home security cameras, showing the children running with their arms outstretched. Only one child (Christopher) is left behind. The film's narrative unfolds through multiple perspectives, including that of the children's teacher, Justine Gandy (Garner), and a grieving father, Archer Graff (Brolin). As the town succumbs to paranoia and suspicion, they must confront a horrifying and inexplicable mystery that lies at the heart of their seemingly quiet suburb. Both Julia Garner and Josh Brolin give standout performances as a flawed teacher and a grieving father in 'Weapons'. (Warner Bros. pic) The premise of 'Weapons' is simple enough: what happened to the children and why did they disappear? But to get to the answer, Cregger purposefully draws out the narrative that can get frustrating, and when you least expect it, introduces the heart of the horror, and from there, it is a heart-thumping, anxiety-inducing, skin-crawling affair. Cregger skilfully uses quick camera pans, slow zoom ins, and claustrophobic shots to trap both the characters and the audience in a nerve-wracking situation. 'Weapons' also relies on dissonance, abrupt shifts, and unsettling silences to keep viewers on edge. It uses high-pitched violins, pulsing bass, and escalating tempo to evoke a fight-or-flight response. Nine-year-old Cary Christopher, who plays Alex Lilly – the only child not to go missing – delivers a standout performance. In a film led by adults, he becomes its emotional core, bringing a quiet sadness and raw restraint that grounds the movie's intensity. Cary Christopher brings heart and warmth to a very dark tale. (Warner Bros. pic) Garner and Brolin also shine, anchoring the film's unsettling tone. Garner captures her character's vulnerability and unravelling paranoia with nuance. Brolin, on the other hand, brings simmering rage and quiet despair, adding weight and tension to every scene he's in. As for the dark comedy treatment in the film's third act, well, it is definitely genre-bending. And it is not done tactlessly. It creates a different kind of horror in those moments that can be both unsettling and cathartic. It may not sit well with some but it is nothing but inspired. Ultimately, 'Weapons' is a horror film that avoids clichés and cheap scares, delivering real danger and a fresh perspective. It shifts the terror of the forest into the heart of the city – leaving you rethinking what horror can be. As of press time, 'Weapons' is screening in cinemas nationwide.
