Private Project

The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy

(USA, 2020, 8 min 35 sec)
Narrative Short, NYU Tisch School of the Arts

Inspired by a real self-help book of the same name, "The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy" follows a recently married Hasidic couple who arrive home on their wedding night. The trouble is, no one ever taught them what comes next.

  • Julie Benko
    Director
  • Julie Benko
    Writer
  • Felix Teich
    Key Cast
    "Groom"
  • Julie Beno
    Key Cast
    "Bride"
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Genres:
    short, comedy, Jewish, religious, religion, Judaism, sex, women, romance, sexual comedy
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 31 seconds
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
Director Biography - Julie Benko

Julie Benko is an award-winning actress, writer, and singer based in New York City. She holds a BFA in Drama from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and is currently an MFA candidate at the lauded Graduate Acting Program there, due to graduate in the spring of 2021.

As an actor and singer, Julie has appeared on Broadway and in National Touring companies of such shows as "Fiddler on the Roof," "Les Miserables," and "Spring Awakening." Favorite Off-Broadway and regional productions include "Once," "The Fantasticks," "Our Town," "Goldstein," "Bar Mitzvah Boy," "Rags," and more. In 2017, she won the Gold Medal and the Johnny Mercer Award at the nationally acclaimed American Traditions Vocal Competition. Her debut jazz album, "Introducing Julie Benko," was released the same year and is available on all digital music streaming platforms. Her short film "The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy," in which she also stars, marks Julie's debut as a writer, director, and filmmaker.

Julie regularly volunteers her vocal talents with Sing For Your Seniors and VocalEase, organizations that provide senior centers and nursing homes with Broadway-level entertainment at zero cost. She also donates educational services to members of Footsteps, the only organization in North America that assists people who wish to leave the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

Learn more about Julie by visiting her website at www.JulieBenko.com.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I have always been fascinated by the way the Hasidim live their lives. The members of this insular Jewish community share a history with my own Reform Jewish one, but otherwise operate in a world unto themselves. After graduating from college, I began volunteering as a math tutor at Footsteps, a non-profit social services organization that supports people who wish to explore secular lifestyles, and helped various women study for their high school equivalency exams. As I discovered more about Hasidic culture through this work, I developed a passion for sharing the stories I heard from these inspiring women.

While doing research for my film, I encountered many shocking stories of sexual assault between married couples that occurred as a direct result of the lack of sex education provided to young people within this (and often any) repressive culture. Eventually, I stumbled upon "The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy," which was co-written by a male Orthodox rabbi and a female sex therapist to help average young couples within the community grapple with these issues, who often must do so without any guidance from their authority figures or even access to the Internet. After reading the book myself, I was immediately impressed at the authors' ability to tackle an enormously sensitive issue with tact, grace, respect, and encouragement. I realized that I had found the inspiration for the film I wanted to make.

My short film "The Newlywed's Guide to Physical Intimacy" provides a brief glimpse into the Hasidic world, delicately tackling intimate subject matter with humor, subtlety, and a fresh optimism for how simple access and education can improve the lives of people across cultures.