HEADS OR TAILS?
Testa o croce? (Heads or Tails?), as seen by Matteo Zoppis & Alessio De Righi
At the dawn of the 20th century, Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show arrived in Italy, selling the myth of the American West and awakening the imagination of Rosa, a young woman trapped in an oppressive marriage to a violent landowner. With Testa o croce? (Heads or Tails?), Matteo Zoppis and Alessio De Righi put forward a dreamlike Italian-American anti-western, inspired by popular legends and the fantasy world of the Far West.
What inspired you to work on this film?
Alessio: We’ve always drawn inspiration from old ballads and folk tales, passed down by cowboy-like figures. We wanted to create a Western-style ballad set in Italy, an anti-Western — starting from a classic setup and shifting into something surreal and magical.
Matteo: As an Italian-American, this story represents a bridge between two cultures. Family legend has it that my great-grandmother saw the Wild West Show in Rome where the Italian butteri beat Buffalo Bill’s cowboys. This shows to what point these tales are crafted to create myths. We wanted our film to carry this message: a work written in the tradition of reimagined tales.
What was your working method?
Alessio: We come from independent filmmaking, where we do everything ourselves. That free spirit stayed with us even in this more ambitious project. We wanted for those working with us to feel creative. Making a film is like a team sport: a balance between ambition, constraints and play.
Matteo: We did a lot of research. On set, we stayed near the sea, in the mud, animals surrounding us! We organized roles better this time around, even if it was chaotic at times. We liked to rewrite scenes just before shooting, in contact with the places and characters. Cinema is also in the moment.
Tell us about your actors.
Matteo & Alessio: Working with them was fascinating. Everyone believed in the project and helped to craft their characters. Alessandro Borghi joined early on and was deeply involved. With him and Nadia Tereszkiewicz, we explored every emotion, watched films, and took horse riding lessons. John C. Reilly deeply invested himself in the role of Buffalo Bill, going as far as to rewrite lines with us. We walked by the sea together talking about cinema… He has a true affinity with our universe. Peter Lanzani joined later but also brought lots of energy. We mixed professional and non-professional actors, to create a unique language that was risky yet immersive.
What did you learn making this film?
Alessio: That perseverance and confidence are key.
Matteo: Being well prepared is essential but you must also trust your instincts.
What do you hope audiences take away?
Alessio: To keep your head on your shoulders.
Matteo: And to have fun!
Why did you become directors?
Alessio: My parents passed on a love of cinema to me. I was fascinated by my uncle’s VHS tapes: westerns, Italian classics, ‘70s American films. Cinema can be a reflection on the world — or simply a fictional world fueled with emotions.
Matteo: My mom filmed everything. I grew up in between Italy and the United States. I started making short films at 12. I went through many cinema obsessed phases: film noir, Japanese cinema, Australian New Wave…
What’s next?
Both: We’re developing La città del sole together and working on personal projects too, while continuing to support each other creatively.
