Latest news with #Chronology
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kristen Stewart's ‘The Chronology of Water' Is One Hell of a Directorial Debut
'I bled, I peed, I cried, and vomited.' This sentence comes at the end of the second paragraph of The Chronology of Water, Lidia Yuknavitch's extraordinary, extraordinarily raw 2011 memoir about growing up, nearly giving up, and straining to getting a grip on a traumatic past. It follows one of the most striking openings of any autobiography — an extended description of her holding her daughter moments after the stillborn baby has been delivered. Kristen Stewart has been talking about bringing Yuknavitch's book to the screen for years. But she wasn't interested in playing this survivor so much as directing this adaptation and, to quote this cover story, 'make something subversive and beautiful and true.' Should she ever be able to bring to life the vision she had of this woman's life, Stewart told anyone who asked (or didn't ask), it would do justice to the horror and poetry of that moment. It would not shy away from the blood. Stewart has accomplished what she set out to do, with honors. And were blood all that her take on Chronology delivered, this free-form biopic would still feel radical, bruising, aggressive in its honesty. But there's a brief declaration that comes right after that liquid inventory: 'I became water.' The breakdown to the elemental state that Yuknavitch, a champion high school swimmer, mentions in the face of experiencing such a tragedy suggests a complete meltdown. But it also hints at liberation, and while the movie showcases its hero numbing herself with sex, drugs, booze, and various other forms of self-destructive behavior, images of pools, rivers, lakes and cleansing baths are never far behind. Stewart opens her film with blood slowly entering the frame and mixing with the remnants of a shower swirling down a drain. But the shot favors what's washing it away. You can't accuse her of burying the lede. More from Rolling Stone That Doc on Shia LaBeouf's Acting School Is Even Crazier Than You've Heard Pedro Pascal Speaks Out at 'Eddington' Premiere: 'Fear Is the Way That They Win' 'Eddington' Is the Perfect Conspiracy Thriller for a Broken, Brainwashed Nation Even nestled in Cannes' Un Certain Regard, the sidebar the fest reserves for first-time filmmakers and 'non-traditional stories seeking international recognition,' Stewart's directorial debut was going to have beaucoup eyes focused on it. Curiosity over what the former Twilight star and Oscar nominee would do behind the camera had been rampant in the days leading up to its premiere late Friday night at the Debussy Theater, and many would have considered anything that wasn't the avant-garde equivalent of a vanity project to be a victory. What she's done with this source material is, we have to say, incredible. There's an almost punk sensibility behind showing the gauntlet that Imogen Poots, playing Yuknavitch from her late teens to her thirties, is forced to run. It's obvious that Stewart aims to push envelopes, get in your face, make everything feel extra unvarnished in the name of being real. Yet there's also a sensitivity to what the writer has endured that balances out the more outré flourishes here, and you feel like Stewart and Poots are working in tandem to not reduce Yuknavitch to the sum of her painful memories. Lidia's older sister (Thora Birch, whose quiet work here is equally as gutting) manages to get out from a household dominated by their sexually abusive father (Michael Epp). Lidia, however, is still stuck dwelling in the monster's lair. Mom (Susannah Flood) numbs herself with liquor, a trick her youngest daughter will soon replicate. Even swimming, the one thing that offers her salvation from a terrible home life and possible ticket out of town, is tainted by violence; a coach promises 'one lick [smack] for every pound you're over' to his young female athletes, and makes good on the promise. She can't escape the devil or her personal demons. College life, chronic casual sex, bad decisions, the opportunity to collaborate with Ken Kesey (Jim Belushi), two ill-advised marriages and liberation through BDSM — courtesy of a dominatrix played with extra deadpan irony by Kim Gordon — await Yuknavitch on the other side of her tale. So does literary acclaim, a patient and handsome bearded stranger (Charlie Carrick) and something approaching peace. We've seen this story many times before. Still, given how Poots commits to the headfirst descent from one rock bottom to the next, as well as keeping the writer's pain consistently simmering below the surface, you are relieved to see the tide of agony recede for the actor as much as you do for the character. It's that kind of all-or-nothing type of performance. The former option wins. What's interesting is that while Stewart doesn't sublimate her own artistic tendencies and reservoir of rage in telling Yuknavitch's story — and what we can imagine is the shared narrative of a lot of women, creative types or otherwise — she's keenly aware of the responsibility of making sure she gets the perspective of her subject right. That's what most impressive about her debut, even more than the faded Kodachrome aesthetic of the 16mm cinematography, the elliptical editing style, and the favoring of the lyrical over the linear here. (If you had to locate a point of comparison for the movies overall aesthetic, the early works of Gus Van Sant would be the most likely option.) But if there is personal expression abound in Stewart's debut, there's also precious little ego. Nor are the tics that too often prick or sink the work of actors feeling out what it's like to call the shots. We'd hate to see her give up acting altogether — she's too good at getting under the skin of too many different types. If this is the first of many filmmaking endeavors from Stewart, however, we welcome everything that is to come. She's proven that she's not afraid to draw blood. And that, in the end, she understands the art of making images flow together in a way that feels just south of transcendent. Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Best 'Saturday Night Live' Characters of All Time Denzel Washington's Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best 70 Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Even Kristen Stewart Had Trouble Getting Her First Feature Financed
In 2018 at the Cannes Film Festival, Kristen Stewart joined Ava DuVernay, Agnes Varda, Jane Fonda and over 80 other women in a protest on the steps of the Palais to draw attention to the lack of female directors programmed in the line-up. That year, only three out of the 21 competition films were directed by women. Seven years later, Stewart is back at the festival with her directorial debut The Chronology of Water, but the journey was not an easy one. 'We had to leave the United States to make this possible,' said Stewart of trying to get the film financed. More from The Hollywood Reporter 'Die My Love' Review: Jennifer Lawrence Spirals Into Psychosis While Robert Pattinson Plunges Into Despair in Lynne Ramsay's Jarring Character Study At 'Die, My Love' Cannes Premiere, Person Dressed as Bird Flies in Face of Festival Red Carpet Rules Cannes: Lynne Ramsay/Jennifer Lawrence Collab 'Die, My Love,' Sales Title in Competition, Draws Six-Minute Standing Ovation Stewart was on hand for a May 16 conversation with Chronolgy actor and musician Kim Gordon at Hyde Beach by Campari held by Breaking Through Lens. The non-profit group is focused on helping any filmmakers who experience marginalization due to their gender get their projects financed. At the event, Simbelle Productions founder Lauren Melinda announced the Simbelle Impact Award, a $10,000 unrestricted grant given to one finalist of the next Breaking Through Lens grant cycle whose project exemplifies social impact and artistic clarity. Despite being one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Stewart had to go to Europe to get Chronology made. Based on Lidia Yuknavitch's 2011 memoir of the same name, the film follows a once-hopeful Olympic swimmer as she loses her scholarship and battles addiction while discovering her own sexuality and love of literature. Stewart knew she was not right to play Yuknavitch, but her choosing not to star in the debut made finding money all the more difficult. 'The list of women and men [actors] that can finance a movie in the entertainment industry are so beyond me. They change so quickly and I don't understand them at all,' she said. Ultimately, Stewart cast Imogen Poots in the film. Stewart spoke just hours before the film's May 16 premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at this year's Cannes. This year's fest features seven films directed by women in its twenty-two-film competition line-up, nowhere near parity. As for her future directing ambitions, Stewart said, 'I would love to [act] in something I direct, and I will do it soon, I hope.' But, for now, she is happy to finally see Chronology screen in front of an audience: 'I feel like I am watching my kid in kindergarten like, 'Look at her go!'' Best of The Hollywood Reporter 'The Goonies' Cast, Then and Now "A Nutless Monkey Could Do Your Job": From Abusive to Angst-Ridden, 16 Memorable Studio Exec Portrayals in Film and TV The 10 Best Baseball Movies of All Time, Ranked
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Kristen Stewart on getting her film financed: Had to leave the US to make it possible
Los Angeles, Hollywood actor Kristen Stewart says it wasn't easy to secure financing for her directorial debut "The Chronology of Water". Stewart's film premiered at the ongoing Cannes Film Festival on Friday in the Un Certain Regard section. Featuring Imogen Poots in the lead, the film is based on Lidia Yuknavitch's 2011 memoir. Known for her work in projects such as "Twilight Saga" and "Clouds of Sils Maria", Stewart said she had to go to Europe to get finances for her film. "We had to leave the United States to make this possible," she said at the film gala, according to the entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporter. "The list of women and men that can finance a movie in the entertainment industry are so beyond me. They change so quickly and I don't understand them at all," she added. Stewart was in conversation with "Chronology" actor and musician Kim Gordon at Hyde Beach by Campari held by Breaking Through Lens, a non-profit group focused on helping any filmmakers who experience marginalisation due to their gender get their projects financed. The 35-year-old actor-director who recently married screenwriter-producer Dylan Meyer said she thought she wasn't the right choice to star in "Chronology", but is open to featuring in her own directorial in future. "I would love to in something I direct, and I will do it soon, I hope. I feel like I am watching my kid in kindergarten like, 'Look at her go!'," she said. At the event, Simbelle Productions founder Lauren Melinda announced the Simbelle Impact Award, a USD 10,000 unrestricted grant which is given to one finalist of the next Breaking Through Lens grant cycle. Cannes 2025 will come to a close on May 24.
See - Sada Elbalad
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
"Pacific Rim" TV Series in Works
Yara Sameh The 'Pacific Rim' TV series has found a home at Amazon. The live-action project, which Variety exclusively reported on in 2024, is now in development at Prime Video in a deal between lead studio Legendary Television and Amazon MGM Studios. As previously reported, Eric Heisserer will serve as writer and executive producer under his Chronology banner. The show is the first project under Chronology's first-look TV deal with Legendary. Exact plot details are being kept under wraps, but the show will serve as a prequel to the films. According to sources, there is still the potential for new films in the franchise as well. The first film in the franchise was directed by Guillermo del Toro from a screenplay by del Toro and Travis Beacham. It came out in 2013 and grossed over $400 million at the global box office. The sequel, 'Pacific Rim Uprising,' bowed in 2018, while the anime series 'Pacific Rim: The Black' aired two seasons on Netflix between 2021 and 2022. The franchise also includes comic books, novels, toys, and more. In 'Pacific Rim,' an inter-dimensional rift opens at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, allowing massive monsters (a.k.a kaijus) to enter our world and begin attacking humanity. In response, humans begin constructing giant fighting robots called Jaegers. Heisserer was most recently the writer, executive producer, and showrunner on the 'Shadow and Bone' TV series at Netflix, which was based on the Grishaverse YA novels. He received an Academy Award nomination for best adapted screenplay for the film 'Arrival' in 2017. His other feature writing credits include the hit Netflix film 'Bird Box' as well as 'Lights Out,' 'Hours' (which he also directed), 'Bloodshot,' and the 2010 remake of 'A Nightmare on Elm Street.' This is the latest development news from Legendary TV and Amazon MGM Studios in recent weeks. It was previously reported that the two studios, along with Pacesetter Productions, had struck a deal to develop a series based G. T. Karber's murder mystery puzzles 'Murdle.' Legendary's current slate also includes the live-action Monsterverse series 'Monarch' at Apple TV+ as well as shows like 'Dune: Prophecy' at Max and the animated series 'The Legend of Lara Croft' at Netflix. read more New Tourism Route To Launch in Old Cairo Ahmed El Sakka-Led Play 'Sayidati Al Jamila' to Be Staged in KSA on Dec. 6 Mandy Moore Joins Season 2 of "Dr. Death" Anthology Series Don't Miss These Movies at 44th Cairo Int'l Film Festival Today Amr Diab to Headline KSA's MDLBEAST Soundstorm 2022 Festival Arts & Culture Mai Omar Stuns in Latest Instagram Photos Arts & Culture "The Flash" to End with Season 9 Arts & Culture Ministry of Culture Organizes four day Children's Film Festival Arts & Culture Canadian PM wishes Muslims Eid-al-Adha News Egypt confirms denial of airspace access to US B-52 bombers News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Lifestyle Pistachio and Raspberry Cheesecake Domes Recipe News Australia Fines Telegram $600,000 Over Terrorism, Child Abuse Content Arts & Culture Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's $4.7M LA Home Burglarized Videos & Features Bouchra Dahlab Crowned Miss Arab World 2025 .. Reem Ganzoury Wins Miss Arab Africa Title (VIDEO) Sports Neymar Announced for Brazil's Preliminary List for 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers News Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly Inaugurates Two Indian Companies Arts & Culture New Archaeological Discovery from 26th Dynasty Uncovered in Karnak Temple Arts & Culture Arwa Gouda Gets Married (Photos)
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Pacific Rim' Live-Action Series From Eric Heisserer & Legendary Set At Amazon
A live-action Pacific Rim television series from Eric Heisserer (Shadow and Bone, Bird Box) based on Legendary's epic giant robot film franchise is in development at Amazon, Deadline has learned. Legendary will produce the series as the lead studio for Prime Video, with Amazon MGM Studios. As we previously reported, the project had been in development at Legendary. It is the inaugural project out of Legendary's first-look television deal with Oscar-nominated Heisserer and his Chronology banner. Heisserer will serve as writer and executive producer on the series. More from Deadline Amazon, UA, Scott Stuber In Final Negotiations To Land 'Highlander' Rights; Henry Cavill To Star With Chad Stahelski Directing John Cho, Giancarlo Esposito, Abubakr Ali, Tramell Tillman & Four Others Join 'Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother' From Amazon MGM's Orion Erinn Hayes Joins Scott Foley In Amazon's 'It's Not Like That'; Brad Silberling To Direct Pilot In the Pacific Rim universe, humanity fights monsters by creating monsters of their own. Faced with oblivion, humanity-built Jaegers—massive, mechanized warriors piloted by our bravest and brightest from around the world—to defend against an invasion of colossal trans-dimensional creatures known as the Kaiju. Launching in 2013 with the Guillermo del Toro-directed feature film of the same name, Pacific Rim has expanded into other media, including TV with the Netflix animated series Pacific Rim: Black. Heisserer most recently served as the showrunner, executive producer, and writer of the Netflix fantasy series Shadow and Bone, based on Leigh Bardugo's bestselling Grishaverse novels. Previously, he wrote the Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi thriller Arrival, starring Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as WGA and Critics Choice Awards for the same category. He also penned the Netflix hit thriller Bird Box, starring Sandra Bullock. Legendary Television and Amazon MGM Studios recently announced the development of Murdle, a scripted series adaptation of G. T. Karber's multi-volume collection of murder mystery puzzles. Amazon MGM Studios is co-developing and co-producing the series with Legendary and Pacesetter for Prime Video. Variety was first to report the news. Best of Deadline 'Ransom Canyon' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The New Netflix Western Romance Series Everything We Know About 'Emily In Paris' Season 5 So Far Everything We Know About Ryan Coogler's 'Sinners': From The Themes To How It Was Shot
