At the Berlin Film Festival on February 20, Channing Tatum shared how his role in the sexual assault drama Josephine echoes conversations he has had with his own daughter. The film stars Tatum as Damian, a father navigating the challenges of parenting in the wake of a traumatic event his daughter witnesses.
The story begins with Damian and his eight-year-old daughter, Josephine, played by newcomer Mason Reeves, going on a morning run. When Josephine runs ahead and sees a sexual assault, it sets off a difficult legal battle while she struggles to process the event within her young understanding of the world.
Parenting Conversations Mirrored on Screen
Tatum recounted moments from his real life that inspired parts of his character’s dialogue and actions. He spoke about a conversation under a bridge in the film, relating it directly to his talks with his daughter.
“I promise you, that conversation that I had with Josephine underneath the bridge is a conversation that I’ve had with my daughter,”
Tatum told reporters.
He also remembered buying ice cream for his daughter after she defended a friend in preschool against bullying, sharing how he supports her standing up for herself.
“If someone is doing something that you are asking them not to do and they don’t listen, you have the full right to protect yourself. I will back you up forever,”
he said, recalling what he told his now 12-year-old daughter.
Director Draws from Personal Trauma to Tell the Story
Director Beth de Araujo based the film’s emotional core on her own experience interrupting a sexual assault as a child with her father in San Francisco. This traumatic moment left her with lasting hypervigilance, which she wanted to explore through Josephine’s perspective.
“I just wanted to take the hypervigilance I was left with after that day and explore it through the eyes of an 8-year-old girl,”
de Araujo explained about her second feature film.
While scouting in a San Francisco farmers’ market, the director discovered Mason Reeves, whose acting abilities impressed the production team.
“Working with Mason was not a challenge. She was a gift. She’s an incredibly talented actor who is so emotionally and intellectually intelligent for her years,”
de Araujo praised.
Creating a Comfortable Atmosphere for the Young Lead
Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan, who portrays Josephine’s mother Claire, spent time bonding with Mason Reeves before filming to help her settle into the role. This friendly approach aimed to ease the young actress into the emotionally charged material.
“We had a little competition, didn’t we? Like who could hang on to the monkey bars the longest,”
Chan recalled.
Mason won.
Impact and Anticipation Surrounding Josephine
Josephine has garnered attention at the Berlin Film Festival as it competes for the prestigious top prize, highlighting difficult conversations around trauma and parenting. Channing Tatum’s authentic connection to his character offers a deeply personal lens on protecting and guiding children through frightening realities. The film’s candid portrayal promises to resonate with audiences and spark further discussion on these sensitive topics.
