It doesn’t take long for Josephine to descend into an abyss of turmoil, and we are forced along for the ride. We won’t like it, but that’s the point; it stares us in the face.
Josephine follows an eight-year-old girl (namesake) who is a witness to a violent sexual assault in a park; we explore how Josephine, her family, acquaintances and the judicial system navigate the events that follow. Director Beth de Araújo is open about the fact that her screenplay is inspired by her own experiences as a child, and a conversation about her childhood with her father later in life. With the film many years in the making, and observing the #MeToo movement in real-time, it only propelled de Araújo to get her screenplay into trusted yet visible hands.
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De Araújo’s vision is clear from the outset, and the audience has no respite from the very start; she doesn’t shy away from the graphic nature of the assault, and we have to witness it along with Josephine, unable to look away. It’s a risk, a potentially polarising screenplay, but it’s a risk that pays off. Though the story is fiction, it is based on the reality of many children and the real methods used to extract sensitive information from them in life-altering cases. De Araújo stated in a Q&A after the screening that she had many eyes from judicial professions read her screenplay to ensure accuracy, a fact that makes Josephine even harder to digest in hindsight. The words coming out of Josephine’s (Mason Reeves, who de Araújo discovered at a farmer’s market) mouth are impossible to believe are in the vocabulary of someone so young, but we soon learn those who talk to her are not much more judicious. Reeves’ debut is captivating and arresting, steered perfectly by de Araújo, who also discussed the careful precautions she took in order to preserve the mental health of Reeves on set, a feat in itself considering the weight of the material.
A key theme of Josephine is the delicate nature of parenthood; Josephine’s mother Claire (Gemma Chan) and father Damien (Channing Tatum) have contradicting methods on how to handle their daughter’s growing trauma. Claire opts for a careful cognitive approach, whereas Damien prefers to confront it in a physical, head-on manner, no sugarcoating. We are gradually shown, not told, that neither parent is completely ‘correct’, and not only them, but many adults around Josephine. It is the stark reality of a child being exposed to something so egregious; parents aren’t given a handbook on how to talk to their children about something that the majority of people never dare think about. But these things do happen, and can happen; there are no absolutes in life, even for eight-year-olds. Chan and Tatum’s chemistry is wonderful, their distinct characters melting and clashing together, often in the same scene.
The camerawork is particularly notable and immersive; POV and tracking shots from Josephine’s perspective, as well as spins. Spiral motifs are seen throughout, perhaps noting a never-ending cycle for victims of trauma. The blocking also perfectly complements this, symbolising the ever-changing relationship between Josephine and her parents, most often with one being closer in the foreground. Shadows are also utilised well; de Araújo’s previous dabbling in horror proves incredibly beneficial for a plot that’s perhaps even more terrifying than anything in that genre. It is hard to critique such a personal and important piece of work; the screenplay is plated in gold, and de Araújo has talent in bucketfuls. However, some parts of the narrative in the first half of the film felt slightly contrived at times, perhaps a little too fast-paced instead of letting the audience sit uncomfortably for a while. The score also could have been elevated; it was the least memorable element of the film by quite a long shot. Though the editing in parts needed some refinement, it does not detract from the core narrative and message; this reality is much closer to home than one may think.
Josephine clutches your breath and refuses to let go. For many, it will be one of the most difficult watches, and most likely the only watch. However, this is part of de Araújo’s vision; she took a huge swing, and it hit firmly and unflinched into the heads of those who watched it. How can you possibly help a child make sense of something that is every adult’s worst nightmare?
★★★★
In cinemas from November 20th / Mason Reeves, Gemma Chan, Channing Tatum / Dir: Beth de Araújo / Sumerian Pictures / 18
