HBO Max to release docu-series on Saman Abbas case

HBO Max will release a new three-episode original docu-series titled ‘Saman La verità nascosta’ (Saman: The Hidden Truth) on September 18, 2026. The series will be available for binge-watching in its entirety upon release.

The production reconstructs the case of Saman Abbas, a young Pakistani woman who was killed in Novellara, Italy, after resisting an arranged marriage. The series utilizes surveillance footage from her father’s workplace, which documented her final moments, and details the 566-day search that ended when her remains were discovered near an abandoned farmhouse.

A central feature of the series is the exclusive testimony of her brother, Haider, who provides an intimate perspective by connecting childhood memories with the family's subsequent tragedy. Produced by Aurora TV and directed by Francesca Mazzoleni and Gianluca Santoni, the project aims to highlight Saman’s struggle for autonomy and her identity on social media, where she was known as ‘Italian Girl’.