The upcoming film, Josephine, directed by Beth de Araújo, is set to make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 2026. The film, starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan, delves into the harrowing experience of parents navigating the aftermath of their daughter witnessing a violent crime in Golden Gate Park.
“There’s so much silence around it—even saying the word rape is very uncomfortable for everyone,”
de Araújo explains, emphasizing the importance of confronting such difficult topics. The story centers on a young girl named Josephine, who inadvertently witnesses a sexual assault, thrusting her family into a tumultuous legal battle and emotional turmoil.
De Araújo’s journey with this project began in 2014 when she wrote the first draft. Her script underwent significant transformation after being selected for the Sundance Labs. Winning a SFFILM/Rainin Filmmaking Grant allowed her to observe a sexual assault case at the San Francisco Hall of Justice, which greatly informed her narrative. In tandem with her writing, de Araújo sought therapy and volunteered at the Los Angeles Rape and Battering Hotline, experiences that deeply shaped her understanding of the subject matter.
While de Araújo had initially planned to direct Josephine as her debut, she opted instead for Soft & Quiet, a thriller that premiered at the South by Southwest film festival in 2022. The film’s reception caught the attention of Tatum’s then-girlfriend, Zoë Kravitz, who suggested Tatum for the lead role.
Tatum resonated with the script’s emotional depth.
“It was really painful to read just because I could tell it was coming from a very real place,”
he remarked, acknowledging de Araújo’s courage in tackling such sensitive themes. To align the character of Damien with Tatum’s Southern upbringing, de Araújo reworked the role, integrating aspects of Tatum’s own relationship with his father.
For the role of Claire, Chan was approached after her success in Crazy Rich Asians. Initially, de Araújo felt apprehensive about Chan’s striking beauty overshadowing the character’s relatability. However, their meeting revealed Chan’s generous understanding of Claire’s complexities, which reflected her own experiences as a sexual assault survivor. “It was just constantly trying to mine the truth in each of these situations,” Chan stated.
The film incorporates elements from de Araújo’s own childhood, including the fact that her mother was a professional dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. Addressing the generational differences in handling trauma, she noted,
“My parents never talked to me about that morning until I was in my 20s.”
This prompted her to modernize the narrative, focusing on how contemporary parents approach such conversations with their children.
As the court case unfolds, tension mounts between Damien and Claire regarding how to discuss the event with Josephine. “It’s such a difficult situation,” Chan reflected, noting that both parents navigate their roles with moral complexity.
Finding the right actress to portray Josephine was crucial. The filmmakers discovered Mason Reeves at a farmer’s market in San Francisco. Despite having no prior acting experience, Reeves delivered a remarkable performance, capturing Josephine’s innocence and confusion. Having turned eight during the first week of filming in July 2024, she brought an infectious energy to the set. Chan remarked on Reeves’ resilience, stating, “She kept us going a lot of the time on these long days.”
The film’s focus on a child’s perspective of trauma presents a unique challenge. De Araújo aimed to create a visceral experience, drawing upon her own memories. To support the cast during filming, she ensured a trauma therapist was present on set, particularly during intense scenes.
“I think we have to actually be able to confront what it is if we want to be able to find any way to help,”
she noted, reflecting on the emotional toll of the subject matter.
Ultimately, the process proved transformative for the entire cast. Chan expressed a sense of catharsis, stating, “At the end of the process, I felt lighter.” Tatum, who has a 12-year-old daughter, gained new insights into parenthood, acknowledging the complexities of raising children in a challenging world. “I’m not ever going to do right, and really put down the fear of messing up because we’re flawed people,” he reflected.
As the team prepares for their premiere in Park City, de Araújo hopes that Josephine will resonate with audiences, offering a profound reflection on trauma and healing. “I think perhaps my work will always be an invitation to accept that a better world is possible—maybe, hopefully,” she concluded.
