“Josephine” Takes Top Sundance Prizes

Beth de Araújo’s drama “Josephine,” a film centring on an eight-year-old girl (Mason Reeves) who witnesses a rape in Golden Gate Park, took the top two prizes at the Sundance Film Festival’s closing ceremony.

Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan star as the girl’s parents who struggle to find a path forward as the girl, haunted by newly learned fear and anger, “acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety while adults are helpless to console her”.

The title won both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, both in U.S. dramatic categories. “Shame and Money” won the Grand Jury Prize for world cinema, while “Nuisance Bear” and “To Hold a Mountain” took the Grand Jury Prizes in the documentary category.

The Audience Award also went to “Hold Onto Me” for world cinema, and to “American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez ” and “One in a Million” for documentaries. The Next Innovator Award went to “The Incomer”.

“Take Me Home” took the Waldo Salt screenwriting award, while directing honors went to “Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty!,” “Soul Patrol,” “How to Divorce During the War” and “One in a Million.

Special Jury Awards included Stephanie Ahn’s “Bedford Park” for debut feature, ensemble cast for “The Friend’s House is Here,” impact for change for “The Lake,” acting ensemble for “Lady,” creative vision for “Filipiñana,” journalistic excellence for “Who Killed Alex Odeh?,” journalist impact for “Birds of War,” civil resistance for “Everybody To Kenmure Street” and a Next Special Jury Award for Creative Expression for “TheyDream”.

Source: THR