Lost in the Shadows of the Vatican: Emanuela Orlandi’s Disappearance and the Search for Truth
From gangsters to “God’s Banker,” Netflix documentary tries to solve a missing person’s case with 37 years worth of papal conspiracy theories
There’s nothing worse than losing a cherished family member. When a family member dies “before their time,” the best anyone can hope for is a decent burial and eventual closure. When a family member with their whole life ahead disappears without a trace, it leaves an indelible void in the hearts of loved ones left grappling with unanswered questions.
The four-part Netflix documentary, Vatican Girl: The Disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi, poignantly presents the Orlandi family’s 40-year struggle to unravel the mystery surrounding their sister and daughter’s disappearance, giving them a powerful voice in their ongoing quest for answers. The documentary’s attempt to connect the dots, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
An All-Too-Familiar Story
It doesn’t help that when the Orlandi family initially went to the police to file a missing person’s report, that same evening in fact, they were turned away. Desperate to find their loved one, Emanuela’s parents had no choice but to exercise an option that was common at the time: Place a missing person’s announcement…
