"Viva L'Italia is a documentary made after the event, trying to figure out what happened. I tried to place myself in front of the events of a century ago, the way a documentarist would have done who had the good fortune to follow Garibaldi's campaign with his camera.'' Roberto Rossellini

To celebrate the centenary of Italy, the Italian government commissioned Rossellini to make a biopic of Giuseppe Garibaldi, one that would follow his exploits with 'the Thousand' and their role in the country's unification. Rossellini approached the film as he had The Flowers of St. Francis, presenting the main character in neo-realist mode, as though making a documentary. - Roberto Rossellini is commissioned to make a biopic.