Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi (2022) User Reviews

Vatican Horror Show

[gcarpiceci · 7/10 · 29 October 2022]

Let's get rid of one aspect upfront: as several reviews remark, the documentary drags a little here and there; could've been 3 episodes maybe? Yes probably.

But - is this really the point?

No, I done think so. This is a tragic story and had to be told; and re-told over and over again.

The documentary has the big merit of laying on the table all the facts and the underlying theories, from the most credible to the obviously fake, behind the Orlandi case in a rather objective and lucid manner.

And while, as expected, the documentary offers no culprit, it leaves the viewer with a well documented certainty: whatever the truth is, there is only one knowing it: the Vatican. And the Vatican keeps hiding it; and this is an insult to the family, to the justice system and to their faithfuls.

Considering the huge cost in terms of reputation damage this is causing to the Vatican, the benefit of doing it must be bigger. So it must be VERY big.

Sheep

[sagsmitch · 7/10 · 19 November 2022]

Very long and drawn out but unfortunately is exactly what this poor family have had to endure for most of their lives. One review thought it was one sided but when the Vatican have refused to comment, take part, provide any other facts or show the slightest bit of compassion to this dignified family it can only lead to the obvious conclusion. The church can no longer hide these dreadful crimes and say no comment without defending themselves. This is the real reason populations are deserting the churches. Too much of their abhorrent behaviour has come to light. So many are no longer sheep but some have been lambs unwittingly to a miserable slaughter. They all need justice.

Stark Contrast

[albertval-69560 · 8/10 · 15 November 2022]

This is an unnerving docuseries. On one side, you have the power of the Church as a monolithic institution; on the other, a family's longstanding plea for justice, accountability and transparency.

The Vatican is not only the seat of Roman Catholicism; it's also an independent city-state with its own head of state who, for all intents and purposes, is a sovereign or autocrat, if you will. Seen against this backdrop, the unexplained disappearance of young Emanuela Orlandi 39 years ago presents to us a great story full of mystery (for many) and angst (for the Orlandi family).

It's a compelling narrative that takes the viewer to different versions of the truth about Emanuela's disappearance none of which is totally conclusive. Journalist Andrea Purgatory and Pietro Orlandi, her older brother, guide us to the different twists that the search for her takes. Here's a family who needs closure but who couldn't have it. The people inside the Vatican who know what happened do not open up even after all these years, and several popes. What kind of humongous secret is the Vatican hiding? What emanates from them is sepulchral silence reminiscent of the Mafia's omerta. The family is stunned when the Pope cryptically tells them that she's in heaven.

The resource persons who grace the series to shed some light into the appearance all agree that the Vatican knows what happened to Emanuela. Will the truth come out? Andrea Purgatori sum it up, thus: no matter how much you try to hide, the truth will always come out.

The docuseries doesn't provide closure but piques our attention and gently reminds us not to forget because Emanuela's case matters.

Interesting

[Kingslaay · 7/10 · 12 November 2022]

A decent documentary from Netflix on a very interesting and mysterious case. The lives of a simple family and an innocent girl, Emanuela Orlandi, changed forever in 1983. The doco presents some valid theories that could explain the disappearance. It became explosive and mind-blowing when they showed the Vatican's secret political aims and money laundering. What is more amazing is how the Pope was very likely aware of the truth behind this innocent girls disappearance.

I did find certain parts hard to follow due to having to match a lot of the English subtitles to the video content. They rushed through some parts and those parts covered a lot of key content which I had to rewind to try piece together to understand it. They might have been able to shorten the series by 1 episode as well I feel by introducing the new theories or information a little earlier.

I feel the last episode sums up this event well. The Vatican clearly had a lot of the answers to Emanuela's disappearance but chose to protect the Church and sacrifice the life of an innocent girl. I feel the childhood friend could have also shared her info a lot earlier about Emanuela being bothered by a senior person from the Vatican. She selfishly waited so many years to shed light on advances made on Emanuela. This might have led to a breakthrough but too much time has passed now. It is quite evident her kidnapping was a power move to blackmail the Vatican. I had so many questions and really wondered where she was and what happened to her??? Sadly I feel it was something sinister and dark that the Vatican will never disclose.

Decadence of a Corrupt Monarchy of Vatican Powers in Bed with Mobsters & Monsters. This has to be watched!!!

[RedKidBytes · 9/10 · 26 October 2022]

I have ranked over1200 documents and films and reviewed dozens of them in IMDB. I will tell you that this was the most striking documentary for me thus far.

I do not get why some people complain about this documentary being far too long. Particularly this one covers the story from 1982 to 2019. It reviews all the available credible evidence with the elucidated documentation and testimony of the witnesses. Any less would be harder to ascertain.

Ever since its inception, the foundation of the Vatican, a self-governing nation-state, surrounded by secrecy. One of its priorities is the controlled disbursement of information to the world. After the 2018 - 2019 leaks of Vatican banks' involvement with the Italian Mafia, journalists were able to get a small glimpse of the tirade and the culture of corruption inherent in the bowels of the organization.

This documentary exposes some of these facts and does great justice to the family of Orlandi who have been fighting to find their daughter for the past 40 years. This is a must-watch.

Typical Netflix: 3x too long but good tale

[segesta65-440-677054 · 7/10 · 22 October 2022]

As other reviewers note, the case goes all over the place... but that's police work, especially in Italy, especially in the 1980s.

While watching, I wanted to employ Occam's Razor: what is the simplest explanation for Orlandi's kidnapping? But in that time, in that place, it really *could be * plausible that the KGB or Vatican Bank or church pedophiles or Mafia might be responsible. Or all of them.

The music video-style editing and repetition is tiresome and an insult to the seriousness of the subject matter. But as an Italian speaker, I commend the accuracy of the translation/interpretations.

In any case: RIP young Emanuela Orlandi, wherever you are.

Seeing Catholics voting down this is my new favorite thing

[julioramosest · 10/10 · 26 October 2022]

The documentary is compelling, comprehensive and pretty honest: it's easy to get what is a theory vs what's a fact. Issues are exposed chronologically as soon as new clues were discovered and the exposition is transparent, whereas it's news at the time or pieces of a tv show. There's heresay, but everybody is entitled to their own opinions and you take them as they are. It's said at some point that the passing of time is the enemy of the truth. That feels correct. But understanding that the Vatican is a place darker than the bottom of a well is not rocket science. And we all know not everybody is yet ready to assume that.

Very interesting documentary

[Luigi Di Pilla · 7/10 · 24 October 2022]

If you are looking for a great mystery story around the Vatican this is for you. Not about its history but showing one of the greatest powerful scandals that has never been confirmed by these church authorities.

It's a well done documentary which has been worked out with each possible kidnapping theory about the Vatican girl Emanuela Orlandi.

Until today nobody heard the truth behind this criminal case. I was never boring.

My rating for these series of 7 out 10 matches the actual one of 7.2.

God stays Emanuela near to her.

If you are interested in intriguing true stories don't miss My Daughters Killer or The Serpent.

The truth always come out

[mauromirti · 10/10 · 3 November 2022]

I've appreciated the courage of the journalists and the reconstruction of this very muddy story.

It is a little bit too kitsch in some passages, but it is very useful and well mounted.

I hope that this will contribute to re-open the case and to give some relief to this very suffering family.

It is not known whether this new media attention will even succeed in reopening the judicial investigation, which had been archived for years: "Difficult - declares Pietro Orlandi - until I find a magistrate who wants to put his finger on and start over to get to understand. So far. There was no one. Someone tried. But then he was excluded from the case. The Vatican suits everyone and everyone suits the Vatican.

WAY too long. This plot goes down so many rabbit holes.

[dcm767 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

So let me cut to the chase so you don't have too.

In the VERY END, Emanuela tells her friend that one of the Cardinals, very close to the Pope, had molested her. Now (and I am inferring this ) the Cardinal panics should this get out. So, he eliminates her, we don't how.

But this is the only scenario that makes ANY sense. The self-admitted perp, I forget his name, but he is the American, has nothing to do with it, and news reporter figures this out. All the other stories are just to pull you away from the true plot.. the mafia, the money for Polish 'Solidarity". Have nothing to do with it.

Just wasted 3 hours of my time.

Great companion piece to The Keepers

[ericsipos-55529 · 10/10 · 20 October 2022]

Fascinating and well done story of the disappearance of a teenage girl in Vatican City and possible involvement of the Vatican. Though much of the documentary is dubbed into English and is rather complex at times, I had no trouble following along, watching all the episodes in one binge; the Netflix way. A real life mystery that ranks with the best Netflix is true crime docs, such as these somewhat similar The Keepers, as well as American Monster and Icarus. Strongly recommended for fans of true crime and religious controversies. While covering a true story, I have never heard of this entire matter here across the Atlantic, so it was as suspenseful to me as a real life mystery. As I imagine many others in America may be unfamiliar with a story as well, I'll stop there and just encourage you to give it a chance, though you need to stick with it, as a lot of information is kind of jumbled together at the beginning. It doesn't have a lot of the biographical background American true crime shows have; the doc gets right into the story, as there is much information to sift through.

Engaging Documentary

[thalassafischer · 7/10 · 12 November 2022]

This is a very interesting and compelling documentary about a seemingly random 15 year old girl who disappeared from the Vatican state in 1983. Some of the details are truly shocking and are not embellished to increase the drama. For example, one of the victim's sisters said the carabinieri (police) claimed that Emanuela "wasn't pretty enough" to be a victim of a kidnapping and/or sex crime, that she must be a runaway ...seriously, like something straight out of a 1970s giallo.

On the other hand, I do think after all is said and done ultimately it's flawed and with the intent of smearing the Roman Catholic Church. It's not that I don't believe that Pope John Paul II laundered money through the Banco Ambrosiano in order to defeat communism (he very well may have) but there are so many wild and far-fetched conspiracy theories that it starts to look a bit stagey.

Still, it will keep you interested for all four episodes, and it is troubling that this relatively modest and religious adolescent girl was kidnapped and never found, so close to the Vatican, not even her corpse.

It's ok, not great

[ellipseanostalrius · 4/10 · 21 October 2022]

I'm fine with a mystery with no answer, if that is in fact what this is. However, I dislike all the time wasted in this series on goofing around.

Could have easily shortened it by twenty percent simply by STOPPING with the endlessly repeated cut scenes...over and over and over. That got to be nauseating. I suspect they went down a couple rabbit holes just to add more length to the series. Slight-of-hand theatrics completely unnecessary.

Some retelling of the story just didn't make sense, and I want a narrator there, to ask interviewees to clarify, or clarify the facts themselves.

The story itself is quite interesting. The producers would have done well to just focus on that and knock off the nonsense.

Boring (slightly revised)

[KSW72 · 6/10 · 26 October 2022]

I actually update my review - I agree that it's best to watch the first and last episodes. The story is in fact quite chilling, and by the end, left me more afraid than most horror movies - but I stand by my initial review about the production and storytelling approach across the series!

-- What has all the ingredients of a real-life international mystery thriller has been reduced to a pointless and winding retelling of a girl's disappearance. A girl who happened to live in Vatican City.

I won't lie that I'm disappointed in this production. I also wish it had more English language, as well as a greater role for the male journalist - his part is so integral to this whole story. My criticism is more for the way the story is told. It's meandering and somewhat pointless. No doubt, the circumstances are complex and there are many connections. And, yet, I binge watched the whole series in one night. The only enlightening part was what we've all suspected for centuries - that the Catholic Church is more than just a religious institution.

Brilliant series

[njboden · 10/10 · 20 October 2022]

This is a must watch! A young Vatican citizen, Emanuela Orlando, disappears after setting out to go to a music lesson in the music school just over the border in Rome. Earlier in the day she'd phoned her parents saying that she was going to meet someone about becoming an Avon lady. Sure enough, later on, someone reports seeing a girl matching her description selling Avon products and accompanied by a mysterious man, lending credence to the theory that she was kidnapped and this man had something to do with her kidnapping. In time a series of people phone her parents claiming to be the hostage takers or that they're in contact with the hostage takers. The first two people leave cryptic messages and use the pseudonyms 'Mario' and 'Pierluigi' and the third one is anonymous but speaks Italian with an American accent and so becomes known as 'the American', he makes the odd demand that the Turk who tried to assassinate the pope a few years before should be released.

In time, an unpleasant man comes forward claiming to be 'the American' but some of his claims seem true and others seem false, it's probably fair to say that he's a narcissistic fantasist with a criminal record who can be ignored. More significant is the claim by the former girlfriend of a local mafia boss that she was in the house and flat where the kidnapped girl was kept, as not only are her descriptions of the interior of the flat verifiable but she claims that Emanuela, also known as Barbara or Barbarella, was handed over to a priest, or at least someone in a priest's uniform, at the Vatican petrol station.

Much later on, a cardinal claims that he received a phone call from the kidnappers before her parents did, indeed before they knew for sure that she was kidnapped not missing. Most significantly, a leaker to the reporters who revealed the Vatileaks scandal receive a document proving that the Vatican paid for Emanuela to be transferred to a convent in London and paid for her upkeep for 14 years when the payments suddenly stopped. We don't know what she died of but Pope Francis even said to her parents that 'Emanuela is in heaven' basically confirming their suspicions!

It seems likely that the mafia were annoyed that the Vatican bank basically stole their money as it sent laundered money to Poland to support the solidarity trade Union, using money that was sitting in the mafia's accounts. The mafia probably found out that Emanuela was being abused by a cardinal, so using that as leverage they kidnapped Emanuela and blackmailed the Vatican. It looks like the Vatican paid her kidnappers the ransom and then trafficked Emanuela to England to a convent without telling her parents, because it didn't want the truth that it laundered mob money and that it had a paedophile problem inside the Vatican itself getting out!

I haven't even mentioned Roberto Calvi or the Bulgarian secret services who are tangentially linked to the scandal. Do yourself a favour and watch this!

The evil that exist in this world is heartbreaking

[willandcharlenebrown · 7/10 · 16 July 2023]

It's so sad to watch these and be reminded. Of the evil men are capable of. The lies and deception those who call themselves Godly are capable of. One could lose hope in humanity but God tells us they will have their judgement day so let's press on and do good. I feel so sorry for the family as they never got closure and will all go to their graves tormented by this. One other thing I'll point out is my amazing of how many videos there were of her! Wowowowowowo I was born in1970 and don't have one single childhood video prior to 19 years old. This girl has videos going back to 1970 wow. What a blessing it would be to have videos of myself at those ages. I wish. Their family must be really rich even though the house didn't look it.

It should be compulsory to watch in Italy

[snotarbartolo · 10/10 · 22 October 2022]

Those reviewers who find it "confusing" should probably stick to watch Marvel movies and avoid risking a brain hernia. The movie is based upon facts, the dirty money laundering of Banco Ambrosiano/IOR, Marcinkus and Calvi's business that eventually caused the latter to "get suicided" in London, money used to finance Solidarnosc, how the Banda della Magliana was handling all dirty jobs on behalf of the Italian secret service and the Vatican...of course it's much easier to believe she was kidnapped by some random criminal rather than accepting the ugly truth about the government itself. Watch it and create your own opinion.

Indictment of an arrogant organization that is above the law.

[aarpcats · 9/10 · 26 October 2022]

The problem with making a documentary series for an international audience is how to explain the story without explaining the intricate history of criminals, money laundering and the Vatican church. In Italy, the Vatican is more powerful than either political party is in the U. S. Its ties with money laundering go back to Hitler, and its ability to influence world politics is unfathomable to those of us who believe we live in a democracy.

Is it a tedious story? Yes. Is it something every American Catholic should see? Hell, yes.

As the U. S. SCOTUS acts as the Vatican's agent in removing the rights of women, as parishes all over the world are having to pay the victims of child molestation by priests, as U. S. Bishops are urging the refusal of communion to the American president who was duly elected, is it so hard to believe it would cover up the kidnapping and murder of a girl?

It isn't fiction. It's horrible,

Vatican girl a shocking true story

[darrendw7 · 10/10 · 9 November 2022]

Watching this documentary, one is so shocked, but you watch it to hear the true story unfold.

Spoiler alert, but suffice to say the Vatican very likely, no, definitely, had an extremely sinister involvement in the kidnapping and probable murder of Emanuela, an innocent child.

There is no worse evil than those who hurt and abuse children. You can do some research on the Vatican and parts of the sordid history of the Catholic church.

Now, I by no means am generalising and saying all Catholicism and Catholics are bad. I'm saying a part of the history is not all good, and that the Vatican has commited evil and covered it up.

Too long and all over the place

[twp-84487 · 3/10 · 21 October 2022]

This is a mess. It keeps repeating things (and has a rewind montage that will drive you crazy by the end) and goes off on all sorts of weird tangents to make it interesting. This could have been a hour if it just told the story without all the nonsense.

The main "reporter" who seems to be narrating constantly draws lines between things that are not connected and he loves saying dates/times are revealing hidden messages. This story is his bread and butter and you can tell.

This is just a waste of time. And it's a compelling story on its own with out the embellishments and conspiracy theories. But instead we get a doc that throws every charlatan and fraud in to make this last longer. Frustrating and should be much better.

Heartbreaking and frustrating story

[AlisaAnton · 9/10 · 21 January 2023]

Everyone who gave this a low score completely missed the whole point of the documentary. Someone said all it did was present conspiracy theories with no end. Well, duh, that's quite literally the whole idea.

Emanuela's case has been shrouded in mystery from the beginning and the family has been constantly led on to believe and follow various theories that would only bring in further questions and more heartache.

As viewers, we were also led on by everyone presenting their theories, only to be kept in a perpetual state of frustration and, in the end, to feel that same anguish the family goes through daily. On that note, the scenes that included the mother absolutely destroyed me. I can't even begin to think how painful it must be to process such loss and such injustice.

Sure, it could've been shorter or, better yet, include more interesting details (for example, why isn't Sabrina Minardi in prison since she literally confessed to being an accomplice?!) instead of replaying the same unnecessary scenes that had nothing to do with the story.

Brilliant, show that Vatican is not innocent in this horrible case

[stellazorik · 10/10 · 18 January 2023]

I heard about this case before but I didn't know all that facts, it was very interesting to watch, well filmed, big secrets of Vatican mafia. The only one question- why Emanuela was kidnapped and for what... Terrible 39 years for family to live in that horror. I think that Vatican should reveal the secret of what happened that day and make the family of Emanuela find a peace. Is it possible to have next Pope who will broke the ice and tell the truth to all who follow this case for many years, not only in Italy but in whole world who was shocked to know that in Vatican was kidnapped a child...?

The Vatican equivalent of who shot JFK

[kierakelly · 10/10 · 24 January 2023]

An extraordinary documentary about how The Vatican covered up the disappearance of one of their own. I thought I knew a lot about The Church's corruption, turns out covering up hundreds of years of paedophilia was just the beginning. Their links to organised crime, international political corruption, potential human trafficking are all on show. However at the centre, is a real, grieving family who dedicated their lives to this organisation and still have no answers, 40 years on. Every person needs to know this story. Especially every Catholic.

If you thought the British Royal Family was a mess, Trump's America a ridiculous reality show, and the circumstances around JFK's death a puzzle, welcome to the Vatican!

A good and interesting story, with some issues on the production side

[davidebrignone · 8/10 · 20 November 2022]

Premix: as a non-italian, I would have probably given a lower rating. However, everyone living in Italy knows the importance of this story in the Italian "pop" culture, and how important it is to keep talking about it.

The story narrated is incredibly interesting, and the docu-series helps re-ordering the puzzle which has been unfolded in the last 35 years. A puzzle with various and different pieces: a story of a missing girl, a story with intertwined religious and political powers, a story of corruption, a story of a family which never loses faith.

However, although the docu-series lucidly describes all the different theories behind this case, it does not really add anything new to what is already known, a part from the very last new witness in the last episode, giving a sense of "I whish but I couldn't" as soon as the last episode ends.

On the production side, the docu-series is well done, though it was probably way over-streched: some specific episodes received way too much importance, and the cut-scenes were all over the places and way over used throughout all the episodes, ending up boring the viewer.

Nevertheless, if someone is able to overcome these issue, and to focus on the main point of the story, she will be able to better understand what is behind one of the biggest scandal in Vatican's history, and to witness the tragic story of Emanuela Orlandi.

Let's hope the truth will come out sooner or later.

Too long

[Belaim · 4/10 · 23 October 2022]

4 episodes of watching a fan 10 times. One of the most repeat of B-roll materials I have ever seen. I usually dont write reviews, but this series would be much better as one episode. For the one who don't have all the time in the world to spare, do yourself a favour and skip to the last episode. The first episode was gripping enough to watch the next 2 after the third I felt like turning it off but managed to get thru the last episode. With a feeling of emptiness. It is a sad story and I wish all the best for the family, but this documentary does not give them or Emanuella any justice whatsoever.