For The Chronology of Water Premiere, Kristen Stewart Opted for a (Chanel!) Swimsuit

“I wanted this to feel more like a rock show,” Kristen Stewart told Vogue at the Los Angeles premiere of her directorial debut, The Chronology of Water, on Thursday evening. To bring that gritty vision to life, the actor invited friends and industry insiders to 2220 Arts + Archives, a cultural hub showcasing film, literature, and music. “We’re at a venue in Echo Park—not in West Hollywood or Beverly Hills,” the newly-minted director noted, explaining why she eschewed a traditional Tinsel Town premiere.

As Stewart and the film’s stars—Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, and Jim Belushi—worked a step-and-repeat tucked away in a small area, guests filtered in for a 7 p.m. screening of the movie. Adapted from Lidia Yuknavitch’s 2011 memoir of the same name, The Chronology of Water traces the life of Lidia (played by Poots), a competitive swimmer navigating childhood abuse, addiction, grief, and love.

For Stewart, decades in front of the camera helped prepare her to take the reins. “I love, love, love being the person that gets the ball rolling,” she said. Poots was clearly in awe of Stewart’s work on the film too: “I think the way that Kristen rendered the character was really believable and very exciting to interrogate—she’s deeply inconsistent as a person, but holds such great promise,” the English star reflected, adding that she found Lidia both beautiful and familiar.

Stewart dressed on-theme in a black-and-white one-piece swimsuit by Chanel, who co-hosted the event. “If you could count the amount of people that are affected by this movie on your two hands, that would be enough for me,” she said. “I don't need anything out of this; I got so much out of just reading the book and feeling kick-started into my own sense of volition, and I hope that the movie can somewhat accomplish that.”

Close pal Emma Roberts, for one, was moved. “I was blown away and gobsmacked,” she told Vogue at the post-screening party. “It’s just so beautiful to see Kristen enter this new role as a director and a writer.” Ashley Benson, who spent much of the night with Roberts, echoed the sentiment. “This was my second time seeing it, so I was able to control my emotions a bit afterwards,” the Pretty Little Liars alum explained. “Everyone was incredible.”

In one room at 2220 Arts + Archives, DJ Josh Freydkis kept the energy high. “Initially, we’re playing a lot of dream pop and ’80s…and then it will become goth dance vibes later on,” he laughed, revealing his playlist for the evening. Meanwhile attendees queued up outside for tacos, quesadillas, and taquitos from Nana’s Kitchen; a family-owned catering company in Sherman Oaks. Off to the side, Alfredo’s Fruits set up a stand, offering something sweet to nibble on. Groups of guests clustered around picnic tables, keeping warm underneath heat lamps. Next to the food spread, Kaia Gerber could be seen cozying up to new beau Lewis Pullman as they chatted with Rita Ora.

Around 10 p.m., composer Paris Hurley took to the stage, launching into a live, avant-garde performance piece. While many trickled in to watch the show, others, including Elizabeth Banks, were mingling in the space next door.

For Stewart, the evening was about bringing the crew back together again. “We haven't seen each other since we actually made the movie,” she shared. “We went to Cannes for the premiere, but only a couple of us could show up. It’s hard to get to the South of France, so this just feels like the real big family reunion.”