Sumerian Pictures has released the first teaser trailer for Josephine, an emotional psychological thriller starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan. The film marks the directorial debut of writer and filmmaker Beth de Araújo and has already attracted major attention after becoming one of the standout films at the Sundance Film Festival.
The story follows a family struggling to deal with the emotional impact of a traumatic incident. Tatum and Chan play the parents of eight year old Josephine, portrayed by newcomer Mason Reeves. Their lives change completely after their young daughter witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park.
The experience leaves the family trying to understand what happened while also helping Josephine deal with what she has seen. As parents, they must protect their daughter and support her emotionally, but they are also dealing with their own fear and trauma. The film focuses on how a shocking event can affect an entire family and change the way its members see the world.
Josephine is described as a work of autobiographical fiction, with the story drawing from Araújo’s own experiences. This personal connection gives the film an added emotional layer and allows the director to explore difficult subjects through a family story.
The movie made a strong impression at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. Winning both awards is considered a major achievement because it shows that the film connected with both festival judges and audiences. Previous films that achieved the same double win include Oscar winning movies such as CODA and Minari.
Following its successful Sundance run, Josephine continued its journey through the international festival circuit. The film was selected to compete at the Berlin International Film Festival and is also scheduled to continue its festival journey at the Toronto International Film Festival.
For Araújo, the project represents an important step as a filmmaker. Her work combines a personal story with the tension of a psychological thriller, creating a film that is focused not only on the crime but also on its emotional effect on the people involved.
The movie has been produced by Beth de Araújo, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, David Kaplan, Josh Peters, Marina Stabile, Mark H. Rapaport and Crystine Zhang. Emanuel Nuñez and Jordan Rapaport serve as executive producers.
With its strong festival response, emotional family story and impressive cast, Josephine is already attracting attention ahead of its theatrical release. The film is expected to explore trauma, parenthood, fear and the difficult process of recovering after a life changing event.
Josephine will officially open in theaters on November 20.