The Nether

Do even the most vile acts become morally acceptable if they aren’t real? In the not-too-distant future, the internet has evolved into the Nether, a massive series of virtual reality realms where users can be anything they want and indulge in any fantasy. Hidden in the darkest corner of the Nether is an elaborately-crafted realm called The Hideaway, which caters to pedophiles. Sims, a successful businessman, has created The Hideaway as a virtual Victorian home where children serve his whims. He is especially fond of Iris, a simulated nine-year-old girl whose real-world identity is Doyle, a burned-out science teacher. Against the backdrop of artificial intelligence’s rise in prominence, The Nether is a disturbing allegory about the implications of unfettered technology and whether the limits of morality are stretched in a simulated world. The Nether has a small ensemble cast and deals with challenging and potentially disturbing themes like pedophilia.