Sensational tabloid ready, true crimes are having a moment. The O.J. Simpson case has become fodder for an Emmy-winning TV series and acclaimed documentary, the unsolved death of JonBenet Ramsay is going to be investigated on CBS, and now the twisty sage of Amanda Knox is coming to Netflix in a new feature length documentary. And it looks be undeniably compelling.
Directed by Rod Blackhurst and Brian McGinn, the simply titled “Amanda Knox” will dive into the conviction and acquittal of Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecit for the murder of a British exchange student in Italy in 2007. The case was sensational, and featured no shortage of surprises, theories, and plenty of headline grabbing coverage, but it was also one that was hard to separate the facts from the noise. Here’s the synopsis from TIFF where the film made its World Premiere:
The 2007 murder of British exchange student Meredith Kercher in Perugia, Italy has become a case study in the vagaries of crime and punishment. Seattle native Amanda Knox and her boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito were convicted and — after four years in prison — acquitted for Kercher’s murder, though just what happened on that November night remains shrouded in mystery. This gripping, atmospheric documentary from directors Rod Blackhurst and Brian McGinn revisits the story with unprecedented access to its key players and poses troubling questions as to why both the legal system and outside observers got so much wrong about the case.
Knox arrived in Perugia to start university that September. She was 20. Kercher was her roommate. Nothing about Knox’s behaviour or girl-next-door charisma suggested she was capable of a vicious killing. This was what made her an enticing suspect: the notion that a femme fatale could appear so innocent. “Either I’m a psychopath in sheep’s clothing,” declares Knox, “or I’m you.”
Perugia prosecutor Giuliano Mignini, one of the film’s most fascinating subjects, regards Knox as “a little bit of an anarchist.” Journalist Nick Pisa, who speaks candidly about the media’s hunger for sensationalism, attests to the allure of painting Knox as a depraved sex maniac. As the trial progresses, the real Knox and her possible motives recede into the background.
“Amanda Knox” debuts on Netflix on September 30th.