In 1929 Blasetti made his directorial debut with Sun, a fictional story set against the ongoing draining of the Pontine Marshes.

The strong reception for Sun led to Blasetti receiving an offer from Stefano Pittaluga, the only significant commercial producer left working in Italy at the time.

Blasetti directed what would have been the first Italian sound film Resurrection, but delays meant that it was released after Gennaro Righelli's The Song of Love.

[5] In 1934 Blasetti directed the play 18 BL a "mass theatre" performed outdoors with 2,000 amateur actors.

[6] Blasetti was a driving force in the revival of the Italian film industry in the 1930s, having lobbied for greater state funding and support.