Czech director Zuzana Kirchnerová may be heading to Cannes with “Caravan”, but she is already drawing a mini -series to tackle domestic violence – “with a very strong female character” – and develop a new functionality under the “Bodies” working title.
“I want it to be a very sensory project, exploring the subject of aging,” she said Variety.
“I like it when you can” touch “a film. Whenever I do one, I need to connect deeply to its theme. It must be something I think about every day. ”
In her first feature film “Caravan”, selected for the UN with a certain respect – marking the first return to the official selection of a majority Czech production in more than 30 years – she decided to reference her own experiences as a mother of a disabled child.
“I wouldn’t say that I” regret “to be a mother, not at all. I am really happy to have children, but sometimes, I would like to escape and recover my old life. It was so difficult for me to admit, even to my nearest friend or to my sister, or to say it out loud. But it is so important to be able to do it, ”she said.
“There will be a lot of people who will not punish me exactly for that, but they will comment on it. This is one of our last taboos, that’s for sure. We have this idea that you become a mother, you turn into saint. Especially when it comes to disabled children. It didn’t. I love my mother.”
In the film, Ester and his teenage son David went to road trip in Italy.
“When I started writing, I was a single mother with a disabled son and a second son who was only a baby. I was sitting in Prague, in my room, and I made:” I don’t want to make a depressing film “”, admitted Kirchnerová.
“I wanted to make a film that would be happy and full of sun and colors. I wanted something that would open the horizon and feel transcendental. ”
Imagine Anna Geislerová in the main role helped her to distance himself from history.
“In this way, Ester did more like her and not me. But there is a bit of me in each character. I really liked to write Zuza [their new friend played by Juliana Brutovská Ol’hová]. She reminded me how I was with my friends when I was younger. Italy is essentially a metaphor for a summer dream. Ester becomes more open also because of Zuza – it is she who triggers this playful in her. »»
“Caravan”
She spent six months looking for David, played by David Vodstrčil.
“What is funnier is that he goes to the same school as my son. I had it just under my nose. I saw a lot of families, which was somehow a good thing – they shared so many stories. Unlike his character, he is completely independent and has no trouble communicating, he does not need help, so he really needed to play this role. With Anna, they had great chemistry. She calls him her fourth child. “
Despite a light approach, Kirchnerová wanted to be honest – also about the sexuality of his protagonists.
“I didn’t want to hide these aspects, and when we are talking about the dignity of disabled people, we must also recognize their sexuality. They are sexual, just like you and me. We accept these children when they are small and cuddles. But once they become adolescents, it’s more difficult. This is something we have to talk about, “she said.
“If you are the mother of a disabled child, you are not allowed to be happy or passionate. For me, sex means energy. It makes you feel alive. When Ester embarks on a case, I have the impression that she says, “ I want to be alive. I want this for me, because I give others so much. ” ».
It was a long road to make the film. But Kirchnerová attributes to Torino Film Lab to make him believe that it could be done.
“In the Czech Republic, it was more difficult. Not because of this subject, but because I wanted to make a film in Italy. They probably thought it was too personal, even if I never made a trip like that, and I have not funded it for many years. There were many men who could not connect with the main character. They would say that she is `little held ” and did not know what she wants. Or that the film should be more focused on the plot, with a big end.
In the end, the project was chosen by the Cannes workshop. Before, Kirchnerová also received the Cinéfonde Prize for the best short film for “Baba”. Now she hopes that “Caravan” will give people less afraid of representing disability in their work.
“Fear is probably the right word. People with disabilities are like the others. Zuza is such a great character, because she has no prejudice. She looks at David and sees a teenager, not a diagnosis. She would behave the same with everyone,” she said.
“For me, it’s a question of freedom. People push you in the prison of what you should be. Especially when you are a mother, you are supposed to meet all these expectations of society. Make this film was like delivering a final “fuck”. To say, “Ok, now I’m going to do what I want.
“Caravan” was produced by Dagmar Sedláčková de Masterfilm, with the co -production of Nutroducia (Slovakia) and Tempesta (Italy). Alpha Violet manages sales.
