It all began in 1983 with Vacanze di Natale (Christmas Holidays), a comedy by Italian directors and screenwriters Carlo and Enrico Vanzina. The movie reunited most of the actors who played in the successful movies Sapore di Mare (Taste of the Sea, 1982) and Sapore di Mare 2 – Un Anno Dopo (Taste of the Sea 2 – One Year Later, 1983).
The two romantic comedies were set in 1960s Italy amidst the economic boom of the time and played heavily on the nostalgia card. These films were aimed squarely at the Baby Boomers, who were teenagers in the 60s. On the other hand, Vacanze had a contemporary setting and played on the antics of the nouveau riche in the Italy of the Eighties, during the second economic boom.
