Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune
In 1937, Rossellini made his first documentary, "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune". After this essay, he was called to assist Goffredo Alessandrini in making "Luciano Serra pilota", one of the most successful Italian films of the first half of the 20th century. In 1940 he was called to assist Francesco De Robertis on "Uomini sul Fondo". His close friendship with Vittorio Mussolini, son of "Il Duce", has been interpreted as a possible reason for having been preferred to other apprentices.