Filmmaker Beth de Araújo, known for her nerve-wracking debut Soft & Quiet, is back with a new horror film, Josephine, starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan.
This isn’t your average Hollywood flick. Josephine is a deeply personal project for de Araújo, inspired by a childhood trauma she experienced in Golden Gate Park. While the film’s plot isn’t a direct retelling of her experience, producer David Kaplan teases that it’s a “story of a family dealing with a personal trauma after seeing something unexpected and horrifying in Golden Gate Park.”
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The film, which was shot in secret earlier this year, follows an 8-year-old girl named Josephine (played by Mason Lily Reeves) who witnesses a brutal attack and descends into a world of fear and paranoia. Tatum and Chan play Josephine’s parents, trying to navigate their own anxieties while protecting their daughter.
De Araújo is no stranger to tackling tough subjects. Her previous film, Soft & Quiet, was a raw and unflinching look at white supremacy, leaving audiences unsettled and provoked. As she told IndieWire about Soft & Quiet, “It’s meant to make you feel very uncomfortable… I’m just happy that people are engaging with it in any way.”
Josephine seems to be following in the same vein. It’s a film that promises to be just as unsettling, exploring the depths of trauma and the lasting impact it can have on a family. And with a cast that includes rising star Philip Ettinger and SF-based talent Syra McCarthy, Josephine is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror films in recent memory.
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Stay tuned for more updates on Josephine as it makes its way through the festival circuit. It’s a film that’s sure to leave you on the edge of your seat, and maybe even give you a few nightmares.
