Writer-director Beth de Araújo’s second feature is a deeply personal story, rooted in the filmmaker’s own childhood experience of interrupting a sexual assault in Golden Gate Park with her father. It stars Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan as the parents of eight-year-old Josephine (played by extraordinary newcomer Mason Reeves), whose childhood is marred when she witnesses a violent sexual assault. As she struggles to process what she’s seen, her once-safe world begins to descend into a scary place for a child who does not yet possess the tools to adequately express herself. Desperate and conflicted about how to help their little girl, her parents argue over the moral quandary of having their daughter testify in front of a jury to convict a sexual predator, which demands an extremely high cost, both emotionally and psychologically, especially for Josephine.

The Garden Cinema View:

Josephine is an, at times, unbearably tense and heartbreakingly sad examination of the trauma of witnessing violence at a young age. The very young newcomer Mason Reeves gives a brave and endearing performance as the titular eight-year-old, forced to contend with the fallout from a frightening and incomprehensible attack.

The sophomore feature from Beth de Araújo, Josephine is a hyper-subjective watch, using long-takes and quasi POV shots to align us with the experience of a young girl who is quite literally haunted by her trauma. At times this becomes suffocating, and the film may be close to unwatchable for those with young daughters. Nevertheless, the craft on show is  impressive, and beneath the tough surface is a film of extreme empathy, not only for Josephine but also her caring but suffering parents (Gemma Chan and Channing Tatum). Ultimately, this is brave and rewarding filmmaking.  

Cast:
Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan