Few things are certain in life, but Netflix rolling out another true crime documentary to get people talking over their physical and virtual water coolers is one of them.

This time the writer and director of Don’t F**k With Cats, which centred on an online manhunt to find and bring to justice a serial killer, has turned his attention to Italy and a mystery that has remained unsolved for nearly 40 years.

Mark Lewis’s new documentary series Vatican Girl: The Disappearance Of Emanuela Orlandi, explores a chilling missing persons case that happened within the Vatican walls, and the trailer suggests it’s going to get under your skin and stay there. 

What is the true story behind Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi?

Emanuela Orlandi was a 15-year-old girl and the daughter of a Vatican employee. On 22 June 1983, she was on her way back home from a flute lesson, but after being last seen at a bus stop in Rome, she vanished and hasn’t been seen since.

The case made worldwide headlines and led to intense speculation about what exactly happened to Orlandi, with interest focusing on the schoolgirl’s link to the Vatican. Speculation, theories and rumours have suggested everything from Orlandi’s kidnapping by an organised crime group to extort money from the Vatican to a potential abduction linked to the attempted assassination of the Pope.

Despite exhumations, anonymous tip-offs and tomb excavations, Orlandi has never been found and the mystery remains unsolved.

What will the Netflix series explore?

According to the streaming giant itself, the documentary will take a 360-degree look at the case, covering everything from potential foul play to possible leads.

“The disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi has been the most mysterious case inside the Vatican walls since 1983,” a description reads. “Between falsified evidence and alleged tracks, the director Mark Lewis analyses what we know so far.”

The documentary also makes the smart move to include Orlandi’s family – something that is all too often overlooked when it comes to the true crime genre. Her brother, Pietro Orlandi, is a prominent voice throughout the four-part series, along with Italian investigative reporter Andrea Purgatori, who covered the case from the get-go. Vatican Girl will include interviews with both family members and witnesses as it attempts to uncover what happened to Emanuela Orlandi.

“These new voices paint a picture of a dark web of secrets kept hidden at any cost,” a statement from Netflix promises. 

Is there a trailer?

There sure is. Netflix has just released one, and it includes the ominous statement: “Sometimes silence is the worst crime.”

You’ll also see snippets of interviews from those close to the case, including Orlandi’s family, as well as reenactments and footage of the area where she went missing.

When can I watch it?

You don’t have to wait long to watch Vatican Girl. The series lands on Netflix on Thursday 20 October, just before the floodgates open for Halloween.

Images: Netflix