Sundance 2026 Review: Josephine

After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her.

 Josephine is taught by her father that being scared does not do anyone any good as she attempts to run out of the garage before the garage door closes. There is a close relationship between them that involves a playful competitiveness which leads to them being separated at park when she witnesses a sexual assault take place at the public washroom. Josephine’s father intervenes and calls the police; he avoids explaining the situation to his daughter which only exacerbates her confusion as to what has just occurred and leads to her acting out her frustrations in a violent fashion.

Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan have an onscreen chemistry which makes them appear as a family together; each one of them has a gravitas to their performances that is respectful to the subject matter while not being afraid to show how their characters are struggling with their predicament and do not necessarily demonstrate grace under pressure.  Nor is there a constant barrage of yelling which is a relief as there is sometimes more emotional power in the quiet moments.

The black screen with environmental sounds being heard was a good indication that the sound design created by William Tabanou is going to play a crucial role in conveying the growing emotional discord inside of Josephine; this really comes to light just before she decides to run out of the car at the traffic intersection.  The beginning of the rape sequence is told strictly through the audio and facial reactions of Mason Reeves which makes it much more brutal and traumatic than when the audience gets to see what she is witnessing.

The opening shot is told entirely from the point of view of Josephine, and though that is not maintained it certainly sets the tone that the camera is never going to be too far away.  The close-up shots of Mason Reeves effectively depict a young mind trying to process what has just happened and the blurry mirror reflection visually represents the deepening internal trauma. The closing sequence is an effective conclusion as father and daughter literally and figuratively help each other get back onto their feet.

The 2026 Sundance Film Festival takes place January 22 to Feb. 1  2026, in person and online, and for more information visit sundance.org.

Trevor Hogg is a freelance video editor and writer who currently resides in Canada; he can be found at LinkedIn.