In many ways, she was right. 326 talking about this. I got through six of them and discovered that with each question I answered, I had three more questions, and thats why I decided to interview my mom, dad, sister and others who were part of my life at the time, he said. 816 1 h 26 min 2020 13+ One day, when his cousin Stewart summoned him to a room in the attic, Neulinger saw his little sister exiting the room, tears rolling down her face. By probing the gap between image and reality, the film depicts both how little and how much a camera can capture. 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. He told his parents about the abuse and learned his uncles had also abused his dad and their brother. He was too ashamed to. Sasha Joseph Neulinger (left) and his father Henry Nevison looking through old home movie footage. Shooting injures 3 people in South Philadelphia. Interviews with his mother, as the audience saw, included recalling a time where Neulinger tried to jump out of a moving car and dark drawings he had made. YOUR RATING. I want them to think, instead, what happens to that child if he or she is being abused and you dont report it. Watching the footage answered many of his questions while sparking a whole list of new ones. 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. She recalled watching Neulingers case unfold on the news, not being able to believe it. A poem for Parsha Parsha Acharei Mot-Kedoshim, Spielberg Says Antisemitism Is No Longer Lurking, But Standing Proud Like 1930s Germany, Young Actress Juju Brener on Her Hocus Pocus 2 Role, Behind the Scenes of Jeopardy! with Mayim Bialik, Unpacking the Crisis in Israel and BrainstormingSolutions. But there has to be some separation, right? He now lives in Montana, where he and his wife, Lauren, and their puppy are riding out the coronavirus pandemic in relative . In many facets of his life, Sasha was thriving. How It Shapes Us is Our Choice at TEDxBozeman conference. One day, while being bathed, he screamed in pain. From an early age, Neulinger had his sights set on a film career, although he never thought hed be launching it with an autobiographical documentary. 24-year-old Sasha Joseph Neulinger was sexually abused by two uncles and a cousin as a child. After finishing film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that. Well, I started therapy before I ever disclosed what was happening. Outside of classes he fly fished blue-ribbon trout streams, hiked countless peaks, and began to explore what brought him joy in life. I cant imagine a world in which my family was part of the construction of the film. Both with his public speaking engagements and REWIND, Sasha is doing everything he can to make an impact in the fight against child abuse. After finishing film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that would propel him to tell the story of his life. 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. An intensely personal project six years in the making, featuring first-hand interviews with Neulingers family, and the law enforcement and mental health professionals on the front lines of subsequent legal battles. For more visit www.joelschoontanisart.com. Well send you updates moving forward, but you can unsubscribe at any time. Documentary Biography Drama. Neulinger, now 27, was abused for years as a young boy by three members of his family. Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. After a decade of battling to reclaim his voice in court as a child in Pennsylvania, Sasha moved to Montana in 2008 to study film production at Montana State University. Explaining this change is present-day footage in which Sasha interviews others, leaning largely on conversations with his mother, Jacqui. 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. But by sharing his story with the world, he is working to empower survivors to look inward and recognize their strength. 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. Though difficult to watch, its a film that helps outsiders confront the horrifying ways such events can cause damage for decades after the fact. Copyright 2023 WPVI-TV. You have entered an incorrect email address! 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. As Henry later remarks, when he now watches his family videos, all he sees is the stuff thats hidden in the background. He knew that in order to truly move forward with his life, hed have to revisit his past, search for the source of his cognitive disconnect, and confront his demons head on. Then something happened. Be more independent. I was you know, hiking, fishing, and doing all the things that I loved. 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. Jacqui noticed his genitals didnt look quite right. 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. I was about to turn 17, and the legal process could have gone for another two or three . Thus Rewind, was spawned, a seven-year project that started when Neulinger was still a film student at Montana State University. "It's not that I didn't get love, it's that I didn't feel lovable," Sasha concedes. WATCH A SPECIAL CLIP FROM THE DOCUMENTARY HERE. "I'm not looking to point fingers and call out monsters and come at it with a need for vengeance. reframes the perspective on traumatic events from Sashas childhood, this time placing him in control of the camera, firmly at the helm of his own narrative. "The moment that I was abused for the first time, I was severed from myself," said Sasha Joseph Neulinger. I figured that maybe thered be some answers in some of my old childhood home video, Neulinger said Wednesday. "The only way I could understand or see myself is. Neulinger, now 29, said he was sexually abused by two uncles and a cousin as a child growing up in Pennsylvania. But like most young victims, he told no one. Your Sheep. Public Speaker and Film Director of REWIND. Each step is something to build on. For her, the mission is for people to recognize abuse and talk about it to erase the stigma, and films like Neulingers will help, she said. I am the biggest Flyers nerd on the planet. But like most young victims, he told no one. Not everyone responds to trauma in the same way. Theres no running from place to place, retelling the story dozens of times, like Neulinger had to do. Sasha Joseph Neulinger (born 1989) is an American actor and director born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. What is it that tinges even. And theres no cost to families. 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. Davis: Betty Gilpin Talks Playing An A.I. This film breaks the silence surrounding child sexual abuse and encourages abuse victims to reach out for help. Absolutely, and honestly, acting was so important for me. What incentive would I have had to go public in order to endlessly defend myself? I only lost the ability to accept that I was beautiful, to see that I was worth something. is a brave and wrenching look at his childhood and his journey to reconcile his past. Its a problem within all organized religion, which can become a trap. If nothing else, I felt the film might help someone else. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After 13 years of fighting to get my life back, the war was finally over, he said. 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. One of Sasha's alleged abusers was his uncle, Howard Nevison, the esteemed cantor at New York's Reform Jewish Temple Emanu-el. My kids that we plan to have one day are going to be die-hard Flyers fans. At that moment, the world became a dark place and I felt dirty.. The more we learn, the more sinister those happy home movies look. An autobiographical film years in the making, Rewind premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival where it received a special jury mention. Yet the more Neulinger crawls back into his thorny past, the more it becomes apparent that his victimizationas well as Bekahswas not an isolated incident. And Temple Emanuels position was not peculiar to Temple Emanuel. A natural reaction is that you want to think youre not seeing what youre actually seeing, youre not really seeing the signs, she explained. The case made headlines as it was found that his uncle, Howard Nevison, one of his abusers (Neulinger and family have changed their names), was a well-known cantor . And I spent 13 years in therapy with Dr. [Herbert] Lustig, and thats what it took, you know, to get to this place where I felt like I could share this story. Like many similar advocacy centers across the country, including the one in Holland, its a child-friendly space where kids can share their stories, undergo forensic medical exams, experience play, art and psycho-therapy, all under one roof. When Im practicing and I dont have to wear my teams jersey, Im wearing a Flyers jersey. Sashas dad, Henry was another victim. Whats more remarkable is that he was once that small boy. It is a family awash in intergenerational predatory behavior. Dr. Herbert Lustig, the psychiatrist who worked with Sasha as he was revealing what happened to him, explains that the boy was victorious no matter what courts decided should happen to Nevison: Having told the truth in public, in the face of his abuser, Lustig believes he won in terms of his own emotional health. And at the same time, I got to observe my parents more objectively now as an adult. The film plays like a memoir of sorts, intercutting family footage with modern-day interviews the director conducts, twenty years after his assault. Hes aware that for many Jews, the whole event the trial and now, the film presents yet another conundrum: the deeply rooted concern that the public airing of such episodes confirms anti-Semitic tropes and, indeed, encourages anti-Semitic sentiment. I mean, theres a lot of vulnerability there. The first, Howard, was the famed cantor of New York Citys Temple Emanu-El, and the favored son in their mothers eyes. This TEDx Talk features Sasha Joseph Neulinger. The goal for the Sept. 24 event was to raise the additional funds needed for sound editing and to create an original score for the film, which he hopes will be done by August 2017. See production, box office & company info. We do not share data with third party vendors. Sasha Joseph Neulinger. Hes a genuine profile in courage, finding the strength to do whats right for himself, and his beloved sibling, not only from within, but from those family members who truly cared about himnone greater than his maternal great-grandfather Joseph, who learns, in the films tear-inducing centerpiece, that young Sasha is casting aside his painful past by taking Josephs surname as his own. That critique, however, never materializes; instead, Neulingers film casts a wary eye at camcorders as a means of highlighting the deceptiveness of surface appearances. Sasha Neulingers heroic and haunting new documentary Rewind explores how he went from a happy-go-lucky young kid to a tormented one who wanted to end his life. While introducing these characters, Rewind spends time with Neulinger and his now-divorced parents, discussing his youthful transformation from a bright, intellectual kid to a troubled adolescent who lashed out unpredictably and often spoke about killing himself. Following the director, who was repeatedly sexually abused by his fathers side of the family as a child, Neulinger revisits his dad Henrys home film canisters, reopening old wounds. 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. It was like a fairy tale, is how Jacqui describes the foursomes initial years together. I was unwilling to make my entire young life about prosecution. A very candid. There was no money involved. 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.. Through embracing my fear and confronting what scared me the most, I rediscovered my beauty and learned to harness my power. "After 13 years of fighting to get my life back, the war was finally over," he said. Its not that I didnt get love, its that I didnt feel lovable, Sasha concedes. That revelation, unsurprisingly, rocked the family, and it lands with seismic force here as well. He has created a documentary in the hopes it will inspire other victims to come forward. "I realized my sister was also being abused," said Sasha. 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. As a child, Sasha was sexually abused between the ages of 4 and 8 by two uncles and a cousin. Sasha Joseph Neulinger, 24, is producing a documentary about child sexual abuse called Rewind to Fast-Forward, that describes his personal experience with sexual abuse and hopes to spread the. I love the outdoors, nature and hiking. 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. Courtesy of John Solem. Sasha Neulingers childhood pain still lingers. Henry isnt hiding behind his lenses, not anymore, he can finally express affection for his son from the other side of the camera. And he was captured on film at every stage by his father Henry, a compulsive videographer and producer of PBS documentaries. 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. ROSEMONT, Pa. (WPVI) -- A young man is now talking about being sexually abused by those he trusted. Play trailer 2:17. Neulingers father is one of the more remarkable figures in this film. Streaming on Hulu, nominated for three Emmy Awards. My dad wasnt involved as a filmmaker, he was involved as a subject. Henrys older brothers one of whom, Howard Nevison would go on to become a renowned opera singer and well-respected cantor at a high-profile synagogue became abusers; and abuse breeds more abuse. In a home video provided by his father, a brief moment from hours of taped memories, Sasha says he remembers feeling trapped. 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. All Rights Reserved. In this present moment of intense national (and global) stress, theres nothing quite as cathartic as a simultaneously wrenching and heartening cry. By what name was Rewind (2019) officially released in India in English? This is incredibly powerful! 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. Nevison was released on $100,000 bail after a Wednesday evening court appearance. With one foot in front of the other, and with each step taken, more of the path is revealed. After Sasha Joseph Neulinger finished film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that would propel him to tell the extraordinary story of his life. He now lives in Montana, where he and his wife, Lauren, and their puppy are riding out the coronavirus pandemic in relative isolation. Producers: Robert Schneeweis, Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Avela Grenier, Shasta Grenier Winston The way he did that, though, was to hint at another violation happening under the same roof that of his beloved sister Rebekah. When he was 8 years old, he disclosed what was happening to his psychiatrist, with his mother present. 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. And ultimately I believe that healing isnt a destination. Jacqui and Henrys son, Sasha was always an extremely engaging child. 3 Signature Oner, the MCUs First F-bomb and Star-Lords Most Emotional Scene, Amazon Studios Nabs J.J. Abrams, Imaxs The Blue Angels Documentary, TaikaWaititi in Talks to Direct Klara and the Sun Adaptation, Oscars: Film Academy Enacts Sweeping Reforms of Campaign Rules in Response to Andrea Riseborough Controversy, Pedro Pascal in Talks for Gladiator Sequel, Zoey Deutch Joins Nicholas Hoult in Clint Eastwood Legal Drama Juror No. READ MORE: Tribeca Film Festival: 15 Must-See Movies. Clearly, there was more healing to be done; one hopes that making Rewind has helped Sasha and his family close this book. The harrowing and courageous documentary, "Rewind," marks the directorial debut of Henry's first child, Sasha Joseph Neulinger, who took the name of his maternal great-grandfather as a way of severing any lingering connection to his abusers. 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. For the first time in more than fourteen years, he could experience life without abuse being the primary focus of his existence. I only knew what my uncle was doing to me was extremely painful, Neulinger said. 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. At some level, I believed I deserved this.. I was 8 years old at the time of disclosure, Neulinger said. I love it here. A painful examination of lost innocence and injustice. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is the co-founder and head of production at Step 1 Films. I thought I was awful and that I must have done something to deserve it. Henrys home movies show a kindergarten-age Sasha as playful and family-oriented; a year later, the boy has put on substantial weight, frowns constantly and erupts in hard-to-process dark emotions. Contact: mstern@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740. The utter honesty behind these scenes could only be captured in a documentary. The nature of the saga changes when we understand that this child was up against a man, Howard Nevison, whose prominent job as cantor for Manhattans Congregation Emanu-El came with powerful friends like Manhattan District Attorney Robert Morgenthau, who, according to the film, eased Nevison through the system when he was arrested. REWIND had its world premiere at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. But Neulinger says that his eldest uncle, Howard Nevison, was the most brutal of his abusers and Neulinger's father alleges that Howard also molested him and Lawrence when they were. 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. Seeking justice in the courts required an endless series of painful interviews and years of legal procedure. Donations for the films development and production can still be made at rewindtofastforward.com. But the abuse didnt stop there. 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. Sasha said it was because of Bekahs private club with Stuart, one of his Uncle Howards nephews. Henry never told his wife that they were bringing child abusers into their home. And I think thats really important. Get Jewish Exponent's Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories, Yemin Orde Alumna Talks Programs Success, ADLs Greenblatt Embraces Controversy, Bemoans Rancor in Community, Documentarian Reunited Holocaust Survivors after 80 Years, Ken Burns Next Documentary About US Response to the Holocaust, Diplomat Who Saved Jews During WWII Honored. Working closely with other organizations, he aims to correct many of the issues inherent in abuse investigations. There are swords [down there] Sasha said. 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. With Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Howard Nevison. I read every article, I watch every game. Unfortunately, that joy and happiness was violently interrupted.. I got to watch the four years of my life from 4 to 8 where I was holding this painful secret and I got to watch myself grow up. But, like so much else in life, it came about organically as he began sorting through his fathers old videos in an effort to cobble together a cohesive whole from the chaotic threads of his childhood. SPRING LAKE TWP. He was a successful actor, but nursed many suicidal thoughts and often swerved into erratic behavior. There was already a lot to balance for me, directing and being a subject. "You were trying to jump out of a moving car. I play hockey here in Montana. This isnt a film worried about manipulating feeling in a specific manner, its concern is bringing that sensation back to those who have forgotten how to feel it. Let us know how we can support the important work you are doing. Stewart asked for a plea deal and served 11 months in prison. 2.4K. We live in a very rural part of the state. Sasha's mom watched her son become severely depressed and suicidal. The Montco-raised child actor and director was sexually abused as a child by two uncles and a cousin.