But there was still more work to be done. He will be making his directorial debut at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival with his film, "Rewind." Sasha's interest in film started in early childhood. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is the co-founder and head of production at Step 1 Films. That revelation, unsurprisingly, rocked the family, and it lands with seismic force here as well. He suffered from insomnia, anxiety and suicidal thoughts. Digging through the vast collection of his father's home videos, a young man reconstructs the unthinkable story of his boyhood and exposes vile abuse passed through generations. After finishing film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that. Neulinger still struggles with how the venerated synagogue unquestioningly rallied to Nevisons defense and literally paid for much of it. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. The Filmmaker Sasha Joseph Neulinger is the co-founder and head of production at Step 1 Films. Whats more difficult is following exactly how things played out in the legal system. There is nothing easy about facing severe trauma, but the reclamation of ones life in the face of adversity makes reaching the summit of that personal mountain that much more meaningful and empowering. That was a big part of my motivation.. He chose the name Neulinger in honor of his maternal great-grandfather, Joseph, who heroically risked his own life to lead his family through treacherous terrain to escape the Nazis and make it to America. Whats more remarkable is that he was once that small boy. Courtesy of John Solem. Neulinger approached his mother, telling her about the secret club that was doing bad things. I want them to think, instead, what happens to that child if he or she is being abused and you dont report it. Henrys decision to conceal his own ordeal for so long (only confessing it long after Sasha had begun spiraling out of control) undoubtedly contributed to his marriages collapse. All Rights Reserved. Neulingers behavioral changes and plummeting grades were the touchstones. And that led to a series of new questions and really important and cathartic conversations with my mom [Jacqui Neulinger], with my dad, and with the professionals involved in my case. 2, The Best Gifts for Women Who Love Fashion, Beauty, Tech and More, Channel Your Inner Queen Charlotte with This Star-Loved British Brands Exclusive Skincare Kit, Naomi Watts Just Wore These Under-$100 PJs from Two Star-Loved Brands And Theyre the Perfect Mothers Day Gift for Stylish Travelers, The Best Signet Rings for Adding a Red Carpet-Ready Touch to Your Jewelry Stack, Everyone Is Just Scrambling: Hollywood on Edge as Writers Guild Talks Go Down to the Wire, Succession Director on Filming That Surprise Cameo and Tying Up Her Kendall Trilogy, James Gunns Guardians: How Chris Pratt and His Marvel Castmates Rescued Their Directors Career, The Definitive Voice of Entertainment News. We do not share data with third party vendors. At some level, I believed I deserved this.. Hes not only an inspiration to me as a filmmaker, but what a brave and courageous choice, not only to hand over the footage to me, but then to allow me to just do what I needed to do. The utter honesty behind these scenes could only be captured in a documentary. I play hockey here in Montana. It was after watching the first six tapes that I realized that this was going to be a film, he said, as for every answer I received about my past, 10 new questions would arise.. I did not choose my trauma, nor have I chosen to be defined by it. Shining a brighter light on this side of things would only have strengthened the movies impact. Its just easier to say something didnt happen than to acknowledge the possibility that a cantor abused a child. Speaking to the Journal by phone from his home in southwest Montana (he doesnt want to specify the city), Neulinger stressed, This is not a Jewish, Christian, black, white, gay, straight issue. I can recognize and accept that the mountain I climbed, while massive on its own, is just one piece of an expansive world. See An INCREDIBLE Snippet HERE! After all, a celebration was the perfect time to pull out his video camera. Producers: Robert Schneeweis, Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Avela Grenier, Shasta Grenier Winston Its not that I didnt get love, its that I didnt feel lovable, Sasha concedes. This is complex. The film was Sashas feature-length directorial debut. In juxtaposing my childhood to the childhood of my abusers, who were also abused, he said, we can see what help for a child actually means in terms of their overall health, but we can still look at my case and say thats not good enough we need child advocacy centers, we need to erase the stigma and the shame, there needs to be more support for adult survivors.. Marking his film debut, Rewind is an autobiographical documentary that recounts how from ages 3 to 8, he was sexually abused by an adult cousin and two uncles, most notably Uncle Howard, Howard Nevison, the much respected and admired longtime cantor at Temple Emanuel on Fifth Avenue in New York. Along with bringing courage and solace to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused, Neulinger hopes the film speaks to religious institutions and makes them own up to their culpability if they remain silent, refusing even to acknowledge the possibility of evildoing within their own ranks. I read every article, I watch every game. Contact: mstern@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740. Absolutely, and honestly, acting was so important for me. I want people to recognize that child abuse does exist, she said, that they should never question reporting what might be child abuse because theyre concerned about the adult and what could happen to that adult if a report is false. Family members, people he trusted, betrayed and violated him. Sashas dad, Henry was another victim. My kids that we plan to have one day are going to be die-hard Flyers fans. After a plea bargain, Howard was sentenced to 12 years probation, when Neulinger was 16. The use of old home movies to show how Neulingers life was transformed, however dramatic, is just the start here, as this was a family with plenty of pain to uncover and one whose suffering would be exacerbated by a powerful religious community that, for once in stories like this, isnt the Catholic Church. Director: Sasha Joseph Neulinger At a fundraiser called Montana Meets Pennsylvania at International House Philadelphia on Sept. 24, Neulinger who grew up in Lower Merion and now lives in Bozeman, Montana showed a gathering of people who were participating in a silent auction as well as munching on hors doeuvres clips from the assembly edits of the film. How It Shapes Us is Our Choice at TEDxBozeman conference. Its therefore no surprise that adult Henry felt most comfortable taking cover behind a video camera, desperate as he subconsciously was to maintain a safe distance between himself and a family that, as history had taught him, was liable to hurt him. The more we learn, the more sinister those happy home movies look. My sense of self-worth, my identity, my ability to see beauty in the world was deteriorating rapidly. He never told a soul what happened to him. A part of PBS, America's Home for Documentaries. In those days, Neulinger had to travel to physicians offices, detective offices, Child Protective Services and various other government buildings, telling his story over and over, dozens of times. She recalled watching Neulingers case unfold on the news, not being able to believe it. SPRING LAKE TWP. Documentary Biography Drama. We take every word our religious leaders say as the truth and in so doing, surrender our cognizant reasoning. Public Speaker and Film Director of REWIND. Its been a real journey for me as a survivor, but also as a human being, Neulinger told a packed ballroom at the Spring Lake Country Club on Friday afternoon during a fundraiser for Hollands Ed and Nancy Hanenburg Childrens Advocacy Center. Rate. When, at the age of 10, Neulinger told his father he wanted to drop the family name (Nevison), his father accepted and supported his sons decision. Jacqui noticed his genitals didnt look quite right. This interview has been edited and condensed. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Sasha Joseph Neulinger digs into the story of his own childhood sexual abuse in his debut doc, 'Rewind.'. Taking a deep breath before putting fingers to keyboard to write this article, pondering. In turn, they told his father, who revealed that he, too, had been sexually abused by both his brothers. If nothing else, I felt the film might help someone else. I felt like I couldnt escape my trauma. After premiering at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival to critical acclaim, Rewind, a documentary about surviving abuse both by family members and the justice system that required that he relive the trauma for years afterward, makes its television debut on Monday on PBS Independent Lens. His Uncle Larry Nevison was sentenced to 14-22 years in prison, and served 11 years. According to Jacqui, The camera immediately became a wall between Henry and the family. Neulinger had learned that his Uncle Larry, father and others were sexually abused. The investigation and three trials that ensued dragged on for eight years (1998-2006) and generated a lot of media coverage. Jacqui and Henrys son, Sasha was always an extremely engaging child. Through embracing my fear and confronting what scared me the most, I rediscovered my beauty and learned to harness my power. New Book Explores Current Trends, OKelley Legends: 2e Behind the Scenes Is a Gift, Israeli Whisky Is Now the Best Single Malt Whisky in the World, SWU Marks Yom Hashoah, OU Announces New Board, Greenblatt Joins JCPA, A Bisl Torah The Power of Being Yourself, Your Beard. Executive producers: Cindy Meehl, Thomas Winston When a child is experiencing that level of trauma, its hard to retain beautiful moments. I had a really awesome job with a company that was working on National Geographic television. I cant imagine a world in which my family was part of the construction of the film. READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019. He was too ashamed to. Free Sign Up. That alone makes it an unbearably sad account of rape and trauma. But I do really love filmmaking. The fact that, when things got tough on the stand during Howards pretrial hearing, Neulinger wore Josephs yarmulke only underlines how true love is a force one can lean on, and derive power from, in times of great need. His mother speaks shocking truths a parent would rarely admit to a fully-grown child. Crafted with striking delicacy, the films form is of a piece with its content. Whats worse, Sashas family almost seemed to be normalizing the abuse he and his sister were enduring. Sasha Joseph Neulinger in 2014. As each frame of footage unfolds, so, too, do the layers of this complex and affecting survivor story, the heartbeat of which is Neulingers vulnerability, bravery, and enduring positivity, against all odds. I was doing well in school, had a good internship and was in a place I loved: Montana. A memoir of molestation whose convoluted structure mirrors the shocking web of abuse its protagonists suffered, Sasha Joseph Neulinger's Rewind allows viewers to watch as . Directors of photography: Jeff Dougherty, Rick Smith For more information on volunteering or donating to the Ed and Nancy Hanenburg Childrens Advocacy Center, call 616-393-6123, visitcac-ottawa.org/prevention, All artwork by Joel Tanis is from the walls of the CAC. And maybe, just maybe, I didnt either.. Let us know how we can support the important work you are doing. However, the 30-year-old also knew confronting his demons was a necessary step. People will make up excuses in their own minds because its easier to say, Oh hes just eccentric, hes quirky, hes not really touching inappropriately. The clip in the film where Howard is using the word pervert in a joking way, thats not a very that makes people uncomfortable but people are willing to overlook it and I think that happens all the time.. Apart from select recollections of detailed descriptions from a few personal accounts, the doc makes a point not to overplay its potentially explicit nature. ), A former child actor whose credits included Shallow Hal and Unbreakable, Neulinger lived in Rosemont and attended Gladwyne Elementary School until moving to Allentown at the age of 10. What incentive would I have had to go public in order to endlessly defend myself? He only got 12 years of probation, but the multi-generational abuse was over. Because they had been overshadowed by the trauma. Neulinger talked with The Inquirer about his film, seven years in the making, about seeing his parents with new eyes, and about the Flyers. The film, which premiered at Tribeca last year and is screening on demand on Friday, May 8 and on PBS' Independent Lens on Monday, May 11, is a wrenching but necessary directorial debut for. I felt safe, supported, and felt free to express myself. Your Sheep. And as the film progresses, the more we similarly notice the carefully concealed agony being endured, and villainy being perpetrated, off-screenspied in a childs sorrowful eyes, inappropriately sexualized dance, and frantic outburst, or in a grown mans hair-ruffling gesture or toothy grin. In watching the 200 hours of home videos: As Sasha watched himself as a child, in proximity to his abusers, he saw his own innocence and helplessness with newfound clarity. He started to see that despite his tumultuous childhood, he still had an entire lifetime waiting to be lived. I can recognize that the trauma I experienced is just one piece of an expansive, multifaceted life. After scoring very high marks on his standardized tests after Kindergarten, Sasha began displaying frequent withdrawal episodes. Shooting injures 3 people in South Philadelphia. The legal minds who helped prosecute Neulingers case reached out to him to set up a Childrens Advocacy Center in his home county. Well, I started therapy before I ever disclosed what was happening. I had gotten through it. Televisions 10 Most Iconic Jewish Mothers, Maisel Mondays Lets Fans Re-Watch Season 3 of Marvelous Mrs. Maisel with the Cast, Israel and the Internet Wars A Professional Social Media Review, The Invisible Student: A Tale of Homelessness at UCLA and USC, Youre Not a Bad Jewish Mom If Your Kid Wants Santa Claus to Come to Your House, No Labels: The Group Fighting for the Political Center, Springing into Success: My Blooming Awards Collection, Why Defenders of Judicial Reforms Keep Changing the Subject, Rabbi Harold Kushner, Whose Works of Practical Theology Were Best-sellers, Dies at 88, Be Holy The Holy Order of the Six-Pointed Star comments on Torah Portion Kedoshim, PJ Librarys Israel Trail Hub Engages Families, The Unforgettable Flavor of Preserved Lemon. But as she now knowsand as Rewind revealsthat also means there were nefarious villains lurking in disguise among them. In response to his experience, Sasha decided to direct REWIND, an autobiographical documentary following his journey to confront, unpack and understand the multi-generational child sexual abuse that haunted him and his family. Sasha doesnt claim to understand the journey of every survivor. I built a loving and respectful relationship with myself and reclaimed ownership of my life and it feels absolutely amazing!. So theres like one grocery store and not a lot of people.. Actor: Shallow Hal. "It was a triumphant moment." The legal minds who helped prosecute Neulinger's case reached out to him to set up a Children's Advocacy Center in his home county. Clearly, there was more healing to be done; one hopes that making Rewind has helped Sasha and his family close this book. I was in constant therapy sessions. One of Sasha's alleged abusers was his uncle, Howard Nevison, the esteemed cantor at New York's Reform Jewish Temple Emanu-el. As a young boy, hed walk down the stairs holding hands with a relative who was his rapist, before their mother would give this person a hug, and then offer them supper. Parallel to interviews with city officials who reconstruct an infuriating case of justice denied, the film offers another conversation. For more visit, Giving Hope: The Childrens Advocacy Center . Sexual abuse doesnt discriminate. Sasha Joseph Neulinger, She felt things were going well for me. Through Kickstarter, Neulinger started raising funds to create the project that became the sixth most-backed documentary in Kickstarter history, he added, and began working with Skywalker Sound and editor Ken Schretzmann from Pixar. With one foot in front of the other, and with each step taken, more of the path is revealed. Twice exceptional (2e) stands for gifted with disabilities or learning differences. M&H, which stands for milk and honey, is Israels first whisky distillery, and the only one that has won awards. In rewatching my childhood, he said, I got to see the kid that I was before abuse. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is a husband, hockey player, backcountry adventurer, motivational speaker, and an Emmy Nominated filmmaker - he also happens to be a survivor of multi-generational child sexual abuse: I believe that a person doesnt have to know how they are going to climb their mountain, they just need to know that they are committed to climbing it. A Philadelphia-area transplant from New York, Newman began her career as a pediatric registered nurse before becoming an attorney for 20 years and then moving into nonprofit work. After finishing film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that would propel him to tell the story of his life. Neulinger, in "Rewind," is the detective-interviewer excavating his own past, and with his shaved head, shadow of a beard, and polite becalmed millennial manner, he's an earnest and at times. For as long as Neulinger can remember, a video camera was ever-present, with his father constantly filmingfrom birthday parties and hockey games to holidays. As the camera focuses in on the smiling and playful antics of Sasha's larger-than-life uncle's Larry and Howard, a more sinister reality begins to unravel. (Step 1 Films) Ultimately, we learn that Sasha was abused between ages three and seven by his father. One very intense sequence adds an ominous layer to the score that feels a tad too heavy, but this is essentially the only bit that overly accentuates an implicit idea emotionally. It was as he was graduating from Montana State Universitys film school that Neulinger began to realize that despite years of therapy, the trauma of his childhood wasnt done with him. It was about justice.. He allowed me to take ownership of the story. My husband disappeared into this lens.. But I did choose how I responded to it: how it would contribute to the shaping of who I am today. For the next nine years of my life, I was in and out of courtrooms testifying against all three of my abusers.. is a brave and wrenching look at his childhood and his journey to reconcile his past. The film was directed by Sasha Joseph Neulinger, the 30-year-old filmmaker who, along with his sister, was molested repeatedly by two uncles and a cousin. Well send you updates moving forward, but you can unsubscribe at any time. Most victims know their assaulter and most sexual perpetrators themselves were molested as children. Men act like they arent allowed to love each other, not openly. Shortly after graduating college in 2013, Sasha asked his dad to send him all of the home videos that had been filmed during his childhood. Crawling out of the catacombs of self-deprecating guilt, to feel cared for again, was not easy. Its a problem within all organized religion, which can become a trap. Sasha Neulinger shared his story of overcoming child sexual assault, and the importance of having organizations which help victims, like CASA and CAPstone, at the 14th annual Light of Hope event . Streaming on Hulu, nominated for three Emmy Awards. 2017 Children's Advocacy Center. But in its intimate depiction of perseverance and fearlessness, it conveys an unforgettable sense of all thats stolen when children are abusedas well as the heroic bravery, compassion and togetherness required to combat such cruelty. So it was really that move, and to be able to have space from what happened, that was equally as important as the incredible therapeutic service I received from Dr. Lustig. We live in a very rural part of the state. And at the same time, I got to observe my parents more objectively now as an adult. He told his parents about the abuse and learned his uncles had also abused his dad and their brother. This was not a civil case. Watching the footage answered many of his questions while sparking a whole list of new ones. A painful examination of lost innocence and injustice. Leacock-Pennebaker. Far more than a mere recitation of personal anguish and abuse, Rewind is a non-fiction reflection of Neulingers processboth then, and again nowof emotionally and psychologically reckoning with memories and experiences hed locked away, far away from prying eyes. Thank you! I was surviving, Neulinger recalled. It was something that became intrusive to me, because it was constant and it felt to me like I lost my husband. Stewart asked for a plea deal and served 11 months in prison. Link to Sasha's video documentary "Rewind to Fast Forward": https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sashaneulinger/rewind-to-fast-forward, 76ers' Joel Embiid ruled out for Game 1 vs. Celtics, Drivers ticketed for leaving cars in path of street sweepers, ESPN: Harper to return to lineup 159 days after Tommy John surgery. One day, Sasha began grabbing at Bekah, his little sisters chest in the back of the car, something he saw as nothing more than a harmless titty twister. His mother, Jacqui asked why he was acting so aggressively. Sashas story has helped other survivors immensely, and ideally, these aspects would have been more intricately threaded into the documentary rather than but punctuated its ending. This film breaks the silence surrounding child sexual abuse and encourages abuse victims to reach out for help. The experiences carved a deep hole in Neulingers soul. He tried to live a normal kid's life but was dying inside. At age 4, he said his uncle sexually abused him for the first time. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is the co-founder and head of production at Step 1 Films where he produces content for commercial clients nationally. Everything is under one roof with access to justice, physical, emotional and mental healing, Neulinger said. Following is the full transcript of filmmaker Sasha Joseph Neulinger's TEDx Talk titled: Trauma is Irreversible. The Montco-raised child actor and director was sexually abused as a child by two uncles and a cousin. Neulingers father is one of the more remarkable figures in this film. You know, it was incredibly emotional to watch that footage, to see an innocent child who has a zest for life and to watch that child to watch myself lose that light. This TEDx Talk features Sasha Joseph Neulinger. I love being able to craft an entire story and being able to share that as opposed to just sharing the emotions of a character. Neulinger had learned that his Uncle Larry, father and others were sexually abused. And so I was able to reclaim these beautiful memories that had been lost, which was extremely healing and cathartic. Sasha Joseph Neulinger. Though difficult to watch, its a film that helps outsiders confront the horrifying ways such events can cause damage for decades after the fact. After premiering at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, "Rewind" makes its television debut on PBS "Independent Lens.". I was constantly needing to prepare for different court dates. Sasha Neulingers childhood pain still lingers. Rewind, is simply an astounding movie and a milestone in psychiatrically minded filmmaking. A memoir of molestation whose convoluted structure mirrors the shocking web of abuse its protagonists suffered, Sasha Joseph Neulingers Rewind allows viewers to watch as a bright, loving child is utterly transformed by a family members sexual assault. I walked away from the last three trials with my uncle Howard. Sasha said it was because of Bekah's "private club with Stuart," one of his Uncle Howard's nephews. "You were trying to jump out of a moving car. Another boy pinched me, he answered. An emotional conversation with his father reveals a tragic side of paternal humanity. I got to observe my abusers now more objectively as an adult. 1 Video. Sasha Neulinger's documentary is as affecting as they come, both for its portrait of unthinkable horrors perpetrated against the weak and defenseless, and for its optimism that healinghowever. But like most young victims, he told no one. Henry never told his wife that they were bringing child abusers into their home. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. But ultimately, the message is one of hope. Larry, on the other hand, comes across in old clips as a performance-happy clown, affecting funny accents and playing to the camera. My last day in court was the day before my 17th birthday, and a year later, I moved as far away as I could, to Montana. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is a husband, hockey player, backcountry adventurer, motivational speaker, and an Emmy Nominated filmmaker - he also happens to be a survivor of multi-generational child sexual abuse: Its a part of his past from which Neulinger has spent years healing, and now he wants to share it with the world with the hopes that it will help others heal as well. Both with his public speaking engagements and REWIND, Sasha is doing everything he can to make an impact in the fight against child abuse. He has created a documentary in the hopes it will inspire other victims to come forward. His mom asked his sister to draw pictures. Old home movies, recording happy times, serve as the storys backdrop, presenting a stark contrast to the darker truths that existed behind the scenes and cast a long shadow. He had stored well over 200 tapes. Distorting an expression of care with an act of vile dominance can create a black hole of shame for anyone. But by sharing his story with the world, he is working to empower survivors to look inward and recognize their strength. With Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Howard Nevison. There arent enough synonyms for the word courage to do Sasha Joseph Neulingers story real justice.
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