Neither Neulinger nor his family saw these as roadblocks, although his sister (admittedly for different reasons) couldnt understand why he needed to make the film and relive the atrocities, especially after having been through so much already. My sister drew pictures that no 4-year-old child should know how to draw, he said. Relatives and other interested parties (detectives, doctors, attorneys, etc.) Sasha Joseph Neulinger in 2014. / Sasha Joseph Neulinger Is a Survivor of . Rewind chronicles his life as a survivor of multi-generational child sexual abuse. Neulinger had learned that his Uncle Larry, father and others were sexually abused. This is incredibly powerful! As a child, Sasha was sexually abused between the ages of 4 and 8 by two uncles and a cousin. See production, box office & company info. It was traumatizing, and tiring, he said. Sasha said it was because of Bekahs private club with Stuart, one of his Uncle Howards nephews. 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. ROSEMONT, Pa. (WPVI) -- A young man is now talking about being sexually abused by those he trusted. He doesnt shy away from asking his parents the hard questions he needs them to answer. "The only way I could understand or see myself is dirty, gross, bad, unloveable," he said. Unfortunately, that joy and happiness was violently interrupted.. Having premiered at last years Tribeca Film Festival, and set for an on-demand release on May 8, Rewind is Neulingers autobiographical tale of tragedy and triumphand one that cant be discussed in any detail without spoiling some of its surprises., His saga begins in suburban Pennsylvania in the 1990s, with happily married Henry and Jacqui Nevison, infant Sasha, and a video camera, which would soon come between the adult couple. 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. After 13 years of fighting to get my life back, the war was finally over, he said. Filmography. He tried to live a normal kid's life but was dying inside. After premiering at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, "Rewind" makes its television debut on PBS "Independent Lens.". Sifting through 700 hours of film footage, including 200 hours of home video, Sasha Neulinger has been rewatching his childhood for the last four years to create a documentary,Rewind to Fast-Forward. Lawrence Nevison, 55, who is Howard Nevison's brother and also an uncle of the boy, and Lawrence Nevison's son,. Uncle Howard Nevison, a prominent Manhattan Jewish cantor, used defense attorneys to drag out the legal process, filing multiple motions over many years. The process of reinvestigating past trauma often causes more pain for assault victims, and Sasha Joseph Neulingers incredible bravery in revisiting his case alone is worth celebrating. When a child is experiencing that level of trauma, its hard to retain beautiful moments. Neulinger had learned that his Uncle Larry, father and others were sexually abused. "You were trying to jump out of a moving car. After all, a celebration was the perfect time to pull out his video camera. 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.. He now lives in Montana, where he and his wife, Lauren, and their puppy are riding out the coronavirus pandemic in relative . All Rights Reserved. In a case that made headlines, another uncle, Howard Nevison, then the cantor at a prominent New York synagogue, denied the charges that hed abused the boy from the ages of 4 to 7, but in a 2006 deal, agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanors and was spared a prison term. 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. 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. Director: Sasha Joseph Neulinger And when I was able to act, I was able to express my emotions, but do it in an alternative universe. My little sister didnt deserve to be hurt like that. 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. 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. 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. His Uncle Larry Nevison was sentenced to 14-22 years in prison, and served 11 years. Sasha Joseph Neulinger (born 1989) is an American actor and director born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. And at the same time, I got to observe my parents more objectively now as an adult. There are swords [down there] Sasha said. Thus Rewind, was spawned, a seven-year project that started when Neulinger was still a film student at Montana State University. 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. I read every article, I watch every game. 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. On May 11, 2020, REWIND had its U.S Television Premiere on PBSs Independent Lens, bringing the film into 280 million households nationwide. Henry isnt hiding behind his lenses, not anymore, he can finally express affection for his son from the other side of the camera. He started to see that despite his tumultuous childhood, he still had an entire lifetime waiting to be lived. 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. The view of the world from within the thick timber is very different than the view from the top of that mountain. Working closely with other organizations, he aims to correct many of the issues inherent in abuse investigations. Contact: mstern@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740. All rights reserved. His nephew testified that he did not report the abuse for years because Nevison threatened to kill him. Cantor Howard Nevison pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of indecent assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children. Rewind paints a vivid but ultimately hopeful portrait of a family plagued by a vicious cycle of abuse. I can recognize that the trauma I experienced is just one piece of an expansive, multifaceted life. Meet new CAC Intake Coordinator, Heather Pedersen! 1 Video. Sasha Joseph Neulinger knows how to tell a story about the sexual abuse of a small boy so that viewers cant turn away even when they most want to. But as she now knowsand as Rewind revealsthat also means there were nefarious villains lurking in disguise among them. Another boy pinched me, he answered. With Sasha Joseph Neulinger, Howard Nevison. Made up of home video footage that reveals a long-kept secret, Sasha Joseph Neulingers. Im going to live in Montana for the rest of my life. Critics Choice and Emmy Nominated (Outstanding Social Issue Documentary, Outstanding Direction, and Outstanding Editing), and now streaming on multiple platforms including Hulu, Amazon Prime, iTunes, and Google Play, REWIND continues the fight against child abuse every day. Absolutely, and honestly, acting was so important for me. Given how much Rewind relies, from the get-go, on home movie footage of the clanwhich would soon come to include a daughter, Bekah, whom Sasha fiercely lovedJacquis early comment implies a forthcoming focus on the harmful presence of technology in modern American households. I struggled with what public disclosure would do for me. 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. 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. Before the filmmaker spells things out, he uses videos of backyard cookouts and innocent gatherings to introduce members of a gregarious extended family, in which Henry, when not holding the camera, was usually mugging for it alongside one of his brothers. And I think thats really important. The comedy was a coping mechanism, as Henry now explains: His own childhood was an emotional minefield that can barely be sketched out here. Shooting injures 3 people in South Philadelphia. Prior to the #Metoo movement, the cultural climate was not predisposed to believe a child accuser and was, in fact, hostile toward him, Neulinger said. Crawling out of the catacombs of self-deprecating guilt, to feel cared for again, was not easy. READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2019. 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. I am the biggest Flyers nerd on the planet. 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. By probing the gap between image and reality, the film depicts both how little and how much a camera can capture. Rewind initially was slated to open in Los Angeles theaters on April 3, with a national rollout to follow, but because of the COVID-19 outbreak, it was pushed onto a digital platform. The first, Howard, was the famed cantor of New York Citys Temple Emanu-El, and the favored son in their mothers eyes. After finishing film school at Montana State University, he discovered the raw materials that would propel him to tell the story of his life. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Uncle Howard said to me, If you tell anyone, Ill kill you. And I believed it, he said. [A-]. Raised in Montgomery County, Pa., Neulinger grew up in a world of filmmaking. 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. There was no money involved. The film premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, where it received the Special Jury Mention Award, and it won Best Documentary earlier this year at the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival. Despite his best efforts to truly move forward, there were still lingering symptoms from his childhood trauma that continued to tug at him, and there was still a voice within Sasha that worked to pull him from the present moment, into a place of self-doubt, fear, and insecurity. 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. "After 13 years of fighting to get my life back, the war was finally over," he said. 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. Shortly before Sasha turned 17, Howard's attorneys ran out of delays, and discussions of a plea agreement commenced. I was surviving, Neulinger recalled. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Love your neighbors and watch your beard. And Temple Emanuels position was not peculiar to Temple Emanuel. That was a big hurdle. Get to know Maria Morales: CAC Family Advocate, A Conversation with Ashleigh Shea: Forensic Interviewing at the CAC, Giving Hope: The Childrens Advocacy Center. Executive producers: Cindy Meehl, Thomas Winston Neulinger, now 29, said he was sexually abused by two uncles and a cousin as a child growing up in Pennsylvania. Rate. Seeking justice in the courts required an endless series of painful interviews and years of legal procedure. Film-maker Sasha Joseph Neulinger rolls back the clock and reveals the truth of what happened to him. As Henry later remarks, when he now watches his family videos, all he sees is the stuff thats hidden in the background. I had gotten through it. 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. Free Sign Up. Sasha Joseph Neulinger is the co-founder and head of production at Step 1 Films where he produces content for commercial clients nationally. His mother speaks shocking truths a parent would rarely admit to a fully-grown child. My dad is an incredibly gifted filmmaker and the big inspiration in my life. After a plea bargain, Howard was sentenced to 12 years probation, when Neulinger was 16. He was a successful actor, but nursed many suicidal thoughts and often swerved into erratic behavior. Its a problem within all organized religion, which can become a trap. Sasha Joseph Neulinger (left) and his father Henry Nevison looking through old home movie footage. And theres no cost to families. "After nine years of secondary trauma, on top of four years of actual abuse . I was 8 years old at the time of disclosure, Neulinger said. Sasha is among the male survivors. 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. He was a straight-A student, physically fit, and enjoying his social life. My time in Montana, while I was at film school, those were the first five consecutive years of my life where child abuse wasnt the primary focus of my existence. She recalled watching Neulingers case unfold on the news, not being able to believe it. A painful examination of lost innocence and injustice. For more visit www.joelschoontanisart.com. 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. 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. Parallel to interviews with city officials who reconstruct an infuriating case of justice denied, the film offers another conversation. 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. He was present when interacting with others; he was gifted and joyful. Neulinger talked with The Inquirer about his film, seven years in the making, about seeing his parents with new eyes, and about the Flyers. This event occurred on March 27, 2015. Sasha, it turns out, did just that, first to his therapist, whom he confided in via crayon drawings that are almost too unbearable to take, and then in a courtroom where he persuasively testified that Howard had sadistically violated him. Theres deep fear. As a filmmaker, Neulinger owes much here to his father Henry who was late to his own sons birth because he was buying the video camera hed use to shoot so much of this footage. 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. Each step is something to build on. But there was still more work to be done. At age 4, he said his uncle sexually abused him for the first time. With one foot in front of the other, and with each step taken, more of the path is revealed. By probing the gap between image and reality, the film depicts both how little and how much a camera can capture. Therapy followed, and educed the source of Neulingers torment: he was a victim of monstrous abuse at the hands of Stewart, Larry and Howard (the last of whom was the most violent), who were doing likewise to Bekah. I was you know, hiking, fishing, and doing all the things that I loved. This was not a civil case. 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. My dad wasnt involved as a filmmaker, he was involved as a subject. In that regard, Rewind delivers in spades. 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.
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