Soviet Hypnotist Anatoly Kashpirovskiy Captivated 300 Million Viewers in 1980s
A new documentary explores how Anatoly Kashpirovskiy, a trained medical doctor, became a massive cultural phenomenon in the Soviet Union by performing mass hypnosis sessions on state television. Reaching an audience of 300 million, his shows offered psychological comfort during the political instability of the late 1980s. The film, directed by Lukasz Konopa and funded by HBO, examines whether his abilities were genuine or a sophisticated stage performance, highlighting his impact on the transition from communism to capitalism.