Amazon Italy visits Town of Lost Children

Veleno: The Town of Lost Children is based on Pablo Trincia’s book

Amazon Prime Video in Italy is launching a true crime docuseries inspired by Pablo Trincia’s book Veleno: Una Storia Vera, about the so-called Italian ‘Satanic Panic’ phenomenon in the 1990s.

Produced by Fremantle Italy and written and directed by Hugo Berkeley, Veleno: The Town of Lost Children chronicles the events that took place in northern Italy between 1997 and 1998, when more than 20 people were accused of belonging to a Satanic cult that sexually and physically abused children.

The crisis involved 16 children being taken away from their families and several people being convicted of crimes, although the claims were never substantiated. Trincia’s book is based on an investigation he ran 20 years later, which suggested that officials manipulated children into making accusations.

Veleno: The Town of Lost Children will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in Italy next month. Ettore Paternò is exec producing the show, which is being distributed internationally by Fremantle.