The Story

“Courageous… a film that is born of the energy and bravery of its protagonist.” — Jerusalem Film Festival jury

At the age of 15, Meilech wrote a diary describing the abuse he suffered at the hands of a group of ultra-orthodox paedophiles. Years later, after abandoning his Hasidic community in Bnei Barak, he opens his old diary in order to reconstruct his story. Meilech meets with a group of non-actors, who themselves suffered abuse in ultra-orthodox society, and together they go back to the scenes of his former life in order to restage the roles of both abuser and victim.

Winner of the Best Documentary Award at the 2017 Jerusalem Film Festival, Conventional Sins is a brave and vital film that explores issues of power and victimhood alongside the redemptive potential of cinema.