Channing Tatum opens up about the Josephine moment that hit him the hardest, as the film continues to generate strong emotional reactions following its Sundance debut.
Beth de Araújo’s drama quickly emerged as one of the standout titles of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival after its world premiere generated a powerful response inside the packed Eccles Theatre.
When the credits rolled, the audience stood up for a long ovation, while Tatum, the film’s star, was visibly moved.
He later admitted that he collapsed “five, six, seven” times during the screening.
The day after the premiere, Tatum joined writer-director Araújo and co-stars Gemma Chan and Mason Reeves at the Variety Studio presented by Audible, where he reflected on seeing the film for the first time.
One scene, in particular, stuck with him.
“One of the scenes that got me, and I wasn’t there during filming, is when Josephine looks out the window and draws things,” Tatum said.
“I cried my eyes out. It was such a beautiful scene. It was unexpected. There are so many moments in this movie where you think about your own son and your own childhood.”
In JosephineTatum and Chan play parents struggling to support their young daughter as she processes the aftermath of a traumatic event.
Araújo wrote and directed the film, drawing on a deeply personal experience from his own childhood, giving the story an additional layer of authenticity.
Tatum praised Araújo’s approach, noting that the script stood out immediately.
“I was blown away by his first film and I was very lucky that he even sent me the script. Reading it…brave isn’t even the word. It was very bold,” he said.
“The changes he was making with the style. He’s really doing it. He’s not trying to make a movie, he’s trying to tell a story that’s never been told. I think he did that with this movie.”
The actor also shared how the film affected him on a personal level.
“I have a daughter and that has made me look at myself and the way I parent and what the connection is and how I’m communicating things,” Tatum said.
“This film deals with such difficult topics, but in such a masterfully artistic way. I’m so proud to be in it.”
After its premiere in the US Dramatic Competition at Sundance, Josephine will soon screen at the Berlin International Film Festival, continuing its initial momentum on the world stage.
