Kristen Stewart thinks women need a 'leg up' in the movie business

Kristen Stewart thinks women need a "leg up" in the movie business.

The 35-year-old movie star has made her directorial debut with 'The Chronology of Water', the new biographical drama film - but Kristen has admitted that she really struggled to get the project off the ground.

The Hollywood star - who recently premiered 'The Chronology of Water' at the Cannes Film Festival - told IndieWire: "This was not without help. I needed to have a couple of public temper tantrums in order to get the right people to listen.

"I have this stunning collaborator in Charles Gillibert, who [produced] 'On the Road', 'Personal Shopper', and 'Clouds of Sils Maria'. He understands that [women] need help and we need a f****** leg up.

"It took a long time to get this made. Yeah. It took forever."

Kristen eventually became convinced she could make the movie after auditioning Imogen Poots for the role of Lidia Yuknavitch.

The actress-turned-director has heaped praise on Imogen, 35.

Kristen said: "She’s a walking motif. Look at her eyes.

"Visually, I was taken aback when her face filled my Zoom screen in which we did a pseudo audition, aah, I started getting this feeling: 'Oh, my God, the movie might exist.'"