Heads or tails? is an Italian-American feature film directed by Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis. Blending elements of a Western with comedy, the film stars John C. Reilly, Alessandro Borghi, and Nadia Tereszkiewicz. It has been selected for Un Certain Regard at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The film is set to hit French theaters on January 7, 2026.
At the dawn of the 20th century, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show arrives in Italy, bringing the legendary story of the American frontier to European audiences. Combining rodeo acts and theatrically staged American folklore, the tour draws massive crowds and sparks a collision of two worlds: the romanticized image of the Wild West and Italy’s rural communities, still deeply rooted in their traditions.
After a deadly rodeo and a stolen kiss, Rosa and her cowboy lover Santino go on the run across the Italian countryside. Their escape takes them far from the glitz and illusions of the show, even as Buffalo Bill himself chases after them. What unfolds is a gripping showdown where legend clashes with reality.
Based on true events and well-known stories, the film offers a fresh take on Buffalo Bill’s European tour, blending fact and fiction. Its storytelling intentionally blurs the line between legendary myth and cinematic imagination.
Heads or tails? marks the third feature film from the duo Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis, following Il Solengo (2015) and The Legend of the Crab King, which was showcased at the Directors' Fortnight in 2021. Shot in the fall of 2024 across Lazio, including Vejano, as well as in Tuscany, the film was captured on 35mm film, with a mix of Super 16 and digital formats depending on the scenes.
During the Cannes presentation, Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate of the Cannes Film Festival, described the project as “an Italian western, a truly remarkable auteur film,” highlighting its unique position in the selection. The decision to cast John C. Reilly as Buffalo Bill continues a rich cinematic tradition, following in the footsteps of Charlton Heston, Michel Piccoli, Paul Newman, and J.K. Simmons.
With its distinctive style and emphasis on revisiting classic legends, the film appeals to fans of reimagined Westerns and twisted historical narratives. It follows in the footsteps of spaghetti Westerns but infuses a modern tone, focusing on marginal characters and tales of escape.
Heads or tails?
Film | 2026
Release in theaters: January 7, 2026
Comedy, Western | Duration: 1h56
Directed by Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis | Starring John C. Reilly, Alessandro Borghi, Nadia Tereszkiewicz
Original title: Testa o Croce?
Countries: Italy, United States
With Heads or Tails?, Alessio Rigo de Righi and Matteo Zoppis continue their distinctive exploration of myth-making and its dissemination, crafting a European Western that is both playful and thoughtfully engaged with themes of history and spectacle.
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