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Vittorio De Sica (1902-1974) had one of the most remarkable careers in the history of Italian cinema. De Sica began acting in films during the silent era, after establishing himself as a star on the legitimate stage, and was a leading man in bubbly comedies until the outbreak of World War II. In the early 1940s, De Sica began directing films, and he made his mark on the international market after the war, when his powerful neo-realist drama Shoeshine (1946), about street children during the post-war occupation, earned acclaim from critics and audiences around the world. De Sica received even great accolades for 1948's Bicycle Thieves, which earned two Academy Awards and is still considered a landmark achievement in European cinema. De Sica continued to act and direct films with distinction until the last year of his life. Filmmaker Mario Canale presents an affectionate look at Vittorio De Sica and his work in the documentary Vittorio D., which includes interviews with De Sica's close friends and family, colleagues who worked with him, and admirers from the creative community, as well as archival interviews the man himself. Interview subjects include Sophia Loren, Clint Eastwood, Dario Fo, Woody Allen, Ken Loach, Giuseppe Rotunno, Dino De Laurentiis, Shirley MacLaine and many more. Vittorio D. received its world premiere as part of the "Venice Days" program at the 2009 Venice International Film Festival.