Sundance Film Festival 2026: ‘Josephine’ is Fearless and Brilliant Storytelling
The movie Josephine at the Sundance Film Festival 2026 takes on one of the most difficult topics of childhood. And it does so through the lens of being a little girl in a scary world. The film confronts two themes in unflinching detail: childhood trauma and bravery. The notion is communicated wonderfully through a simple setup.
We see Josephine‘s point of view as she stands in a garage, and her father encourages her to run under the door before it closes. He tells her she has the capacity to make it, to press the button, and then to run as fast as she can under the closing door. After the first failed attempt, she makes it to the other side and gives her dad a high five. Unfortunately, the power to run under a garage door won’t be the bravest choice Josephine will have to make.
[Warning: this film involves depictions of sexual assault. If you are or you know someone who has experienced sexual assault, you may find resources for help via RAINN’s National Hotline. More information is available here.]
Beth de Araújo’s masterful direction and writing
The film, written and directed by Beth de Araújo, then sees Josephine (brilliantly played by Mason Reeves) run through a wooded park on an early morning with her father, Damien (Channing Tatum). Josephine is like any other kid: she loves to outrun her parents, and she ends up taking a right at a fork in the path. Her father, lagging behind, takes the left, briefly separating them. The next set of sequences is extremely harrowing and possibly triggering, so proceed with caution.
Josephine comes across a park restroom and proceeds to witness a vicious sexual assault on a woman from afar before Josephine’s father, Damien, finally catches up to stop the horrendous event unfolding. From here, the film begins to tackle the complexities of being a child who does not fully understand what she witnessed.
Before this event, her life was innocent and without any danger. Now, every older male around Josephine comes with a sense of risk. Araújo uses impactful camera shots of men in various settings, such as a man in a grocery store, seemingly engaged in mundane activities. But the angle suggests they are lurking, even if they are minding their own business.
The film then tackles the unpleasant nature of having to answer uncomfortable questions with a child about adult intimacy. For example, Josephine now perceives Damien as a threat to her mother, Claire (Gemma Chan), because, in her mind, making love now feels like an act of violence. These questions and authentic character moments show how brilliant a scriptwriter Araújo has become at such an early stage in her career. She understands every nuance and emotion that unfolds in a child’s mind and manages to make us feel everything with minimal dialogue from Josephine.
Incredible performances from Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, and Gemma Chan
Newcomer Mason Reeves gives a tremendous performance as Josephine, quietly conveying her fear and unseen trauma through her eyes throughout the film. It’s a testament to Araújo as a director that she has the skillset to guide a child’s performance in this manner so efficiently. One of the best sequences involves adults questioning Josephine as a witness, and the dialogue requires Reeves to carry the back-and-forth with fearless intensity. And for a child actor, it is a stunning piece of performative work.
Channing Tatum delivers the rawest performance of his career, portraying a father who wants to protect his child but whose fear and insecurities compromise his judgment. There are moments of genuine tension between Damien and Josephine where his emotions cross a line, and the impact does more harm than good in her anxiety towards male behavior.
However, the standout is Gemma Chan as Josephine’s mother, Claire. Her performance is especially potent in moments surrounding the conversation of male harassment and abuse. There’s a moment where Josephine asks her mom if she’s ever experienced what she witnessed. Claire tries to ease her mind by lying, and Chan‘s heartbreaking execution conveys the truth beneath it.
Overall, Josephine is one of the best films out of Sundance 2026 so far. The direction and performances are fearless and riveting, exploring the complexities of communicating terrible human behavior to a developing mind. Moreover, it has a huge empathetic heart for the importance of mental health at all ages. There are scenes in Josephine that will stay with viewers for a long time. It’s truly incredible that we already have an unforgettable cinematic work in January.
Also check out Sundance Film Festival 2026: Take Me Home Review
