Beth de Araújo Speaks on Cornell Assault Case
At Critics Choice’s Celebración of Cinema & Television, Beth de Araújo tied her Breakthrough Director Award speech to the Cornell rape case and called for men to hold each other accountable.
AI-generated summary based on reporting by IndieWire.
Beth de Araújo used her Breakthrough Director Award speech at Critics Choice Association’s Celebración of Cinema & Television 2026 to talk about the recent rape case at Cornell University. The “Josephine” director said she had planned to say something different, but felt she needed to address the week’s events.
De Araújo connected the case to the personal experience that inspired “Josephine.” She said that when she was eight, she and her father interrupted a rape in a park. She later wrote the film to explore how impossible it is for a parent to fully explain rape to a child and how fear stays with a person.
In her speech, she said the Cornell case showed why people often stay silent and urged men to hold one another accountable. She also said people should help women and girls in their lives and support young filmmakers when they ask for feedback.
De Araújo thanked her cast, crew, producers, and the film’s lead, Mason Reeves, for helping bring the project to life. She said the film was made to answer a woman’s call for help, and she hoped people keep answering that call.
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