Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Tuesday 14 November 2017
Kristen Stewart dives into

grief in directorial debut

By JAKE COYLE ual harassment scandals sitivity.
AP Film Writer that have swamped Holly- “I am so sensitive it drives
NEW YORK (AP) — Kristen wood, Stewart pointed to me crazy,” says Stewart.
Stewart’s directing ambi- her speech last month at “It’s funny (that) the first
tions go all the way back to Elle’s Women in Hollywood movie I wanted to make
when she was an 11-year- event, where she spoke was basically just a movie
old performing in the 2002 about the less-noticed ha- about somebody who is
Kristen Stewart attends the LA premiere of “Come Swim” at the David Fincher thriller “Panic rassment of below-the-line like, ‘You don’t get it! It’s
Landmark Theatre on Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, in Los Angeles. Room.” crew members. Stewart horrible!’”
“I was working with Jodie declined to add to those Getting behind the camera
Foster and I was like, ‘I’m comments Thursday but was also a way for Stewart
going to direct. I’m going acknowledged the indus- to be the kind of director
to be the youngest direc- try’s gender imbalances she herself appreciates —
tor that exists,’” Stewart behind the camera have one who favors discovery
recalled in an interview. been on her mind. over heavily-scripted con-
When she, years later, told “I’m so fortunate to be able trol.
Foster she was finally mak- to have made this mov- “The worst is when direct-
ing something, Stewart ie because it’s obviously ing becomes correcting,”
says, “She was like, ‘Dude, tougher for women to be she says. “It’s like: ‘Do it all
the first thing you’re going heard,” said Stewart. “I’m yourself then. Why are you
to realize is that you have obviously deeply proud of even making movies?’ I
nothing to learn.” anyone who’s able to ex- don’t want packaged and
It took longer than Stew- press themselves freely and delivered ideas.”
art expected, but she has it’s awesome that we’re “Come Swim,” abstract
now made a short film living in a time where they and impressionistic, is cer-
titled “Come Swim.” Fol- can.” tainly not that. For an ac-
lowing premieres at the “Come Swim” isn’t your tress who remains a con-
Sundance Film Festival and standard actor-made di- siderable box-office draw,
the Cannes Film Festival, rectorial debut. It’s an her film is little concerned
“Come Swim” debuted 18-minute metaphorical with matching audience
Friday on the women’s en- rendering of a feeling, of expectations.
tertainment and lifestyles the overwhelming oppres- Right now, she’s trying to
website Refinery29. sion of heartbreak and carve out more time for di-
The film announces Stew- grief. A man is submerged, recting — a challenge for a
art’s filmmaking ambitions literally, by water every- performer drawn to jump-
and opens a new chapter where. Stewart describes ing from project to project.
in the fast-moving career the film as about “aggran- Making “Come Swim,” she
of the 27-year-old actress. dized pain” and says its im- says, is the most fun she’s
Stewart is already develop- agery has haunted her for had on a set.
ing several other projects, four years. “I was making movies be-
including a script she’s writ- “You don’t realize when fore I was watching (a lot)
ing that’s an adaptation you’re trudging through of movies,” she says. “So
of a memoir (Stewart de- that water, you feel so I knew how significant it
clined to say whose). She’s alone,” says Stewart. was to protect something
taking two months off act- “We’ve all been there. But precious really young. I
ing to write it, and she also when you’re in it, you feel saw people doing it and
hopes to turn “Come Swim” like you can’t participate in it seemed like this honor-
into a feature-length film. life.” bound commitment that
“It’s my first step into some- In many ways, “Come everyone shared and there
thing I’ve wanted to for a Swim” reflects something was one person spear-
really long time,” said Stew- essential about Stewart: heading it.
art. she is hyper alert to her sur- When a movie’s really
Stewart spoke in a pair of roundings and her emo- good, there’s a singular,
interviews — one on a bal- tions. It’s a quality that has very particular perspective
cony in Cannes in May, the probably helped make her, that everyone is servicing,
other by phone on Thurs- in the eyes of many, a per- and I always just wanted to
day. As to the recent sex- former of twitchy, alive sen- hold that.”q