"The first day we worked on Lo sceicco bianco started very badly indeed. We had to shoot outdoors. I left Rome at dawn and when I said good-bye to Giulietta I was very tense. I was driving a Fiat car (“Cinquecento”) car and I stopped in front of a church, and I went in to pray. I saw a catafalque in the shadow, and I thought it was a bad omen. But there wasn’t a catafalque in the church, there wasn’t anyone. There was just me, I couldn’t remember even a prayer. I made some vague promises of repentance and I went out a little restless. On the road to Ostia, a tire of my car burst and I had to change it myself. I did not feel able to do it, so I was there, quite desperate, thinking that I’d be late for my first film-making experience. Luckily, a Sicilian good-humored truck driver saw me, and helped me. I arrived to Fregene at 9.45 a.m. while I had an appointment at 8.30 a.m. All the members of the crew were on board a large boat, one kilometer away on the immense sea. They seemed so far, unreachable. While a motor boat was driving me towards them, my eyes were dazzled by the sun. They not were unreachable, and I couldn’t see them any longer. I was wondering 'What shall I do now? ... ' I didn’t remember the film plot, I didn’t remember anything, I simply had to run away and forget it. Then, all of a sudden all my doubts vanished when I was on board. I joined the crew. I was curious to see where it was all going to end. "