Actress Parach Bar Minialy Debuts as Director with Film on Sexual Assault

Actress Parach Bar Minialy, after nearly two decades in front of the camera, has transitioned to directing with her debut short film, "Weakness for Hard Cases." The film, which will premiere at the Jerusalem Women's Film Festival in two weeks, was inspired by a sexual assault she experienced at age 17. Minialy, now 25, explained that the film explores the complex dynamics of her relationship with her then-boyfriend, a combat soldier, and his friends, culminating in the assault. She noted that the experience led her to reflect on the pressures faced by young soldiers and the difficulty in saying "no," drawing parallels to her own struggles with consent at that age.

The film itself does not depict explicit sexual assault but rather explores "grey areas" of consent and desire, questioning whether actions stem from willingness or distress. Minialy worked closely with an intimacy coordinator, Varga Yaari, to navigate sensitive scenes, treating them like choreography to manage the emotional intensity for the actors, Rona Sobol and Amir Banai.

Minialy, daughter of the late actress Ariella Rubinovich, discussed her transition to directing while studying at the Sam Spiegel School of Film and Television. She acknowledged that taking a break from acting to study was seen by some as career suicide, but she continued performing in theater and is set to return to acting next year in a film about female soldiers on the Gaza border. Her experience as an actress, she believes, gives her an advantage in communicating with actors during directing.

She also spoke about her bisexuality, noting that it has caused more insecurity in women she has dated than in men. Minialy described a past relationship where her partner dismissed her attraction to women, causing her significant distress. She expressed contentment with her current relationship with Roy Asher, an assistant director, where she feels comfortable discussing her sexual orientation openly within their monogamous relationship.