It follows A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995), his exhaustive and highly illuminating sojourn through the classic films of the American century. Whether highlighting lost classics or reappraising old favourites with an unflagging eye for detail, Scorsese's enthusiasm and knowledge brought the history books vividly to life.

Having transferred his attentions to Italy, it's a foregone conclusion that Scorsese's rigorous intellect will shed new light on some of the most famous movies in cinema history. Surprisingly, though, this is not merely an academic exercise, and promises to be a more emotional piece than his previous documentary. He first discovered Italian films not as a cinéaste but as a child, watching them on Friday night TV with his family. Seeing images of his ancestors' social history and homeland amazed him. "It was through Italian films that I began to discover who my family were," he says. "Many questions that were raised in me at a very early age needed answers, and the only place I could find them was in movies.