Caravan
The road movie is a well-trodden cinematic path, but Zuzana Kirchnerová gives it fresh emotional traction with her feature debut. Caravan (Karavan) takes the outward freedom of a journey along Italy’s coast and uses it to chart a coming-of-age – not just for 15-year-old David (David Vostrcil), who has Down syndrome, but also for his mother Ester (Anna Geislerová), whose life has long been shaped by his care.
Kirchnerová captures the uneasy shift of adolescence with startling realism. David’s burgeoning sexuality emerges clumsily and, at times, distressingly, while his body becomes suddenly taller, stronger and more difficult to manage. The film does not shy away from this uncomfortable imbalance. Scenes in which Ester struggles to restrain him during episodes are marked by a raw physicality – the old comforts and strategies no longer suffice, and the strain is evident on them both. Her devotion is unwavering, but the way she has cared for him is no longer sustainable.
In many ways, Caravan becomes Ester’s coming-of-age too – or rather, a delayed one. As she and David flee the pity and judgment of old friends and take off in a beaten-up caravan, she begins to consider, perhaps for the first time in years, what she wants beyond motherhood. The unexpected arrival of Zuza (Juliana Brutovska), a fellow Czech hitchhiker with flamingo-pink hair and chaotic charm, gently nudges Ester toward much-needed self-reflection. While Zuza may echo tropes of the manic pixie dream girl, her presence resonates with unexpected sincerity, quietly uplifting both Ester and David.
The road trip format, far from being a narrative constraint, is Caravan’s greatest strength. Kirchnerová embraces its open-endedness with vignettes and detours, giving her characters the space to lead the story. This is not a cohesive journey with tidy arcs, but a mosaic of fleeting, revealing moments. Though this approach occasionally borders on repetition, the film shines where it matters most: in its compassionate perspective, its honest portrayal of difficult realities and its lucid depiction of the evolving bond between a mother and a son who is no longer a child. Ultimately, Caravan stands as a quietly powerful reflection on love, loss and the messy, uncertain journey of growing – both on the road and in life.
Christina Yang
Caravan does not have a release date yet.
Read more reviews from our Cannes Film Festival coverage here.
For further information about the event visit the Cannes Film Festival website here.
Watch the trailer for Caravan here:
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