by MK
Vida Skerk, a 25-year-old filmmaker from Trieste, makes her Cannes debut today with Ether, a short film exploring the early signs of emotional abuse in a young relationship. Premiering this evening, May 22, as part of the festival’s La Cinef selection for student filmmakers, Ether is one of 16 shorts chosen from over 1,600 international entries—and the only one by an Italian director.
Currently studying at the National Film and Television School in the UK, Skerk uses Ether to explore the murky psychological terrain of intimacy and control. “It’s not always black and white,” she told us earlier this week in Cannes. “Sometimes people stay because they don’t even realize they’re being hurt.”
Set in a quiet domestic setting, the film focuses on emotional nuance rather than overt confrontation. It’s a choice that feels all the more urgent in the context of recent conversations in Italy surrounding gender-based violence.
“I hope this film will be seen in Italy too,” Skerk said. “The news coming from home has been deeply troubling. I think it’s important to talk about these things—especially with younger audiences.”
While La Cinef has become known as a launching pad for new talent, for Skerk, today’s premiere is more than just a career milestone—it’s the culmination of a dream that once seemed impossibly distant.
“This is the kind of opportunity you dream about,” she said, pausing as photographers gathered nearby. “Until you’re here, you don’t think it can happen to you.”
