Ether

Set around the turn of the century on the edges of the Russian Empire, this story follows a doctor who kills a young woman he desired by giving her a lethal dose of ether. To escape the consequences of his crime, he takes a position at a fortress. There, he uses ether to conduct experiments focused on relieving pain and controlling the behavior and will of other people. The narrative explores the conflict between his pursuit of power and the possibility of saving his soul from damnation.

The film was written and directed by Krzysztof Zanussi, following his previous work on Venice 70: Future Reloaded. It is a co-production between Ukraine, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, and Poland, featuring a cast led by Jacek Poniedziałek as the doctor and Andrzej Chyra as the commander, alongside Małgorzata Pritulak, Zsolt László, Ostap Vakulyuk, and Maria Ryaboshapka. The production involved a credited crew of 247 people and a cast of 45.

Viewers have given the movie mixed ratings, with a score of 5.9/10 on IMDb based on 589 votes and a 5/10 on TMDB from 12 votes.