JOSEPHINE

Josephine draws directly from writer-director Beth de Araújo's own childhood: at eight years old, running through Golden Gate Park with her father, she witnessed him interrupt a rape—an experience that left her hyper-vigilant for years afterward. Eleven years in the making, this extraordinary film turns that childhood trauma into fiction, told entirely from the young girl's point of view as she tries to make sense of what has occurred. Eight-year-old Josephine (newcomer Mason Reeves) is jogging with her father, played by Channing Tatum, when she witnesses an attack in the park. In its aftermath, she acts out in search of a way to reclaim control over her own safety, while her parents—including her mother, played by Gemma Chan—struggle to understand what she needs and how to help her deal with what she has experienced. Josephine premiered in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the U.S. Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award.  Q&A with writer-director Beth de Araújo following the screening.