Josephine, a psychological thriller starring Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan and newcomer Mason Reeves, has been acquired for the U.S. by Sumer Pictures in a competitive seven-figure deal.
Founded by Ash Avildsen as an independent, artist-led creative studio, Sumerian has recently expanded into film distribution, working on a major theatrical release and awards campaign for the film.
“Josephine” had its world premiere at this year’s Sundance, where it moved audiences to tears and became a sensation for the first time at the festival. It will be released internationally at the Berlin Film Festival next week. This heartbreaking drama is an autobiographical work of fiction by writer and director Beth de Araujo about an 8-year-old boy who witnesses a rape in Golden State Park. De Araujo’s on-screen surrogate is Reeves, who he found while scouring the farmers’ markets in his hometown of San Francisco. Tatum and Chan play Josephine’s parents, who must work through the girl’s trauma as they seek justice for the survivors. The A-listers also served as producers on the project.
“It was magical when her audition tape arrived,” the filmmaker, who was named one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2026, told Variety about Reeves. “She’s never acted before, but she’s an incredibly smart and emotionally intelligent person.”
“I am delighted that Sumerian is a new distribution company made up of people who love film and are committed to bringing audiences to the theaters,” de Araujo said in a statement.
Rob Williams, president of Avildsen and Sumerian Pictures, who negotiated the deal with WME Independent and CAA Media Finance, added that Josepine is “a captivating, deeply emotional and powerful film that deserves all the accolades and accolades it has already received at Sundance. We are thrilled to work with Beth de Araujo and the entire team to bring this film to audiences with Sumerian Pictures.”
Sumer Pictures’ upcoming theatrical release slate includes the romantic comedy “Mile End Kicks,” David Verbeek’s “The Wolf, the Fox, and the Leopard,” Ondrzej Provaznik’s “Broken Voices,” and Lauren Meyering’s “Horsegirls.”
The emotional Park City premiere of “Josephine” on Jan. 23 was a full-circle experience for de Araujo, who developed the material through Sundance Institute’s Directors Lab. The director wiped away tears as he was welcomed to the Eccles Theater stage with a standing ovation. The cast joined her, and the audience continued to clap and cheer as Tatum picked up his diminutive co-star and threw her around with glee.
“While ‘subtle’ may seem an odd word to use to describe a film that begins with a brutal assault, de Araujo excels at constructing a universal human experience from incredibly specific details (even those drawn from memory, research, and imagination),” Variety’s Peter De Bruges wrote in his review of the film, also praising the actors’ powerful and nuanced performances.
Josephine is de Araujo’s second feature film, following the 2022 one-shot thriller Soft & Quiet, which debuted at SXSW and was later acquired by Blumhouse. The film was released by Momentum Pictures that fall.
