Veleno

Il docufilm è fatto benissimo.

Io lo ho visti tutti e 5 di fila. Non riuscivo a staccarmi. La narrazione è eccellente.

Purtroppo è una storia vera e molto (molto) triste.

Consiglio a tutti di guardarla. Fino alla fine.

Very good and interesting documentary about children that were removed from their families in two communities in 1990s Italy, based on statements that the children made, of which we see some video recordings. Some of their parents were convicted for child abuse and spent many years in prison; this documentary has been made about 20 years later when they had completed their sentences.

The documentary has 5 episodes between 50 and 60 minutes. It is somewhat slow at times, but overall there is enough interesting material that deserves the elaboration over such a time span. Also, the story is somewhat convoluted with many people involved.

The position conveyed by the documentary on the case is quite clear, but to its credit, it gives enough space to those that are on the other side of the argument. This is actually a major attraction of the documentary. You can hear many people involved with their quite different points of view, and you may wonder yourself who is right and who is wrong here. To me it doesn't seem as obvious as one of the other reviewers portrays it. Of course it is also in the nature of such a documentary that the material doesn't quite suffice to dissolve every possible doubt (although it may be enough for some).

Up until the end you hear rather incompatible points of view from people who mostly (on both sides) come over as credible. The main psychologist, heavily criticised as major villain by some, actually conducts herself quite well here. You may wonder all the time "how can this be?" - even if you settle for the explanation that is apparently favoured by the people who made this documentary (which for sure has something going for it, but not everything).

It is a sad story with impact on everyone who is still alive, the children, the parents, also other people involved. It is also a story well worthwhile spending 5 hours of your time on. Should children always be believed? Probably not. But here?

The satanic panic was trending end of 80s beginning of 90s especially when several countries were hit by horrific crimes related to child abduction, murders and molestation. I've watched many similar documentaries but have to admit this one takes the price.

How on earth were these families and parents not compensated when their lives were utterly shattered?! How could these crazy therapists, police involved, social services and doctors get away with it after all the evidence presented? What a shady Italian so called justice system these victims had to go through. That's a circus right there not a court or a decent judge. There were people dying from this due to agony and stress, parents were sentenced to prison for not committing any crimes (evidently). These children were reciting the same scripted scenarios and were told they were right by those incompetent idiotic therapists.

Crazy therapists I must say, crazy enough to invent a dirty sexual filthy story brainwashing these kids into believing it and using psychological torture methods in order to instil fear and repeated story lines. The kids were filmed being totally relaxed even amused at some point whilst telling same stories over and over. I mean even an idiot will see that something is not right, how can an abused child feel this way when there's a great trauma in place? There's one chilling scene in particular when two of the kids, when being recorded, gave this weird twisted smirk after finishing their stories as if there were being rewarded for playing their part.

Perhaps the two therapists involved were sexually abused themselves and took it on themselves to save the world kids from their parents. Perhaps they didn't even have parents themselves. All the craziness stems from childhood trauma, hence the main therapist, the husband, felt so strongly about this and kept insisting on the stories being true. It is astonishing what brainwashing methods can do to children at a young age, especially when you hear what some adult versions of these kids NOW still insist on having been abused by their parents despite the evidence presented to them. The mind is indeed complex and when you mess with it, it can cause your demise. One girl, now woman, in particular is so senseless and emotionless when responding to the millions of letters sent by her mother all the years spent away. She feels absolutely nothing towards her biological mother as if these therapists completely detached these kids from reality and the memory of having lived with their biological parents.

An absolutely shocking MUST WATCH documentary. Slightly inconclusive when it comes to all the children and their whereabouts. Also slow and repetitive at some parts but overall definitely worth watching. I pray for all parents, families and children involved that one day you receive justice and peace of mind.