Since 2017, Netflix has been expanding its presence in Italy with series addressing political, historical, and criminal themes. In 2025, seven Italian-language productions stand out in the catalog for portraying complex realities while also helping those seeking to learn the language.
Suburra: Blood in Rome
Netflix's first Italian original series, it premiered in 2017. Inspired by the Mafia Capitale scandal, which involved politicians and businessmen in Rome in the 2010s, it combines crime, corruption, racism, and sexuality. It ran for three seasons until 2020.
Toddler
Inspired by the real-life "baby squillo" case of 2014, the series follows two teenage girls from the Roman elite involved in sexual exploitation. It premiered in 2018 and ran for three seasons, concluding in 2020. It sparked intense debate about the exposure of minors.
Sea Out
Released in 2020, the plot is set in a juvenile prison in Naples. It depicts the coexistence of young people from different backgrounds, including mafia members and teenagers seeking a fresh start. The fifth and final season premiered in 2025.
Vatican Girl
Released in 2022, the documentary miniseries portrays the disappearance of Emanuela Orlandi, which occurred in 1983. The young woman lived in the Vatican. The case remains unsolved. The series blends Italian and English, making it easy for beginners to follow.
The Yara Gambirasio Case
The documentary series, released in 2024, explores the 2010 kidnapping and murder of teenager Yara. The case was solved, but the trial and evidence remain controversial. It serves as an introduction to the workings of the Italian justice system.
the leopard
Released in 2025, this film adapts the novel by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, also adapted for the screen by Luchino Visconti. The story is set in Sicily during the Italian unification period. It's a visually rich portrait of the nobility in decline in the 19th century.
The Monster of Florence
Set to premiere on October 22, the miniseries chronicles crimes committed between the 1960s and 1980s. The killer, who has never been identified, killed at least 16 people. Directed by Stefano Sollima, the same director of Gomorrah, filmed in Florence.
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