Head to Head (2026): Cast, Story and Release Details

Prepared by Movies Dock Editorial

Head to Head follows an acclaimed Iranian director whose male actors agree to wear women’s clothing for a film role, hoping the opportunity can lead to international recognition or a way out of the country. The production tests their endurance, ambitions and sense of pride.

Head to Head is a 2026 drama from Iranian filmmaker Ghasideh Golmakani. Set around the making of a film, it centers on actors facing an unusual professional demand and the personal pressures that accompany it.

The story brings together creative ambition, the possibility of international opportunity and the discomfort of performing under difficult conditions. Its 80-minute runtime keeps the focus on the director, her cast and the tensions created during production.

Head to Head movie details

Story without spoilers

Bahar, an acclaimed Iranian director whose films have appeared at international festivals, casts actors for her latest project and asks them to wear women’s outfits, including skirts and headscarves. The actors accept partly because they hope the film may help build an international career or provide a route to leaving the country.

As the shoot continues in the heat, the practical discomfort of the costumes becomes increasingly difficult. The experience also challenges the actors’ pride, creating conflict between professional opportunity and their reactions to the role they have agreed to play.

What to expect

This is a drama built around a film-within-a-film setup and the pressures of a demanding production. The premise points to a story about artistic authority, professional ambition, physical discomfort and personal dignity, while remaining grounded in the circumstances of an Iranian film shoot.

The supplied synopsis does not establish a comic tone, a specific ending or broader plot developments, so expectations are best kept to this central conflict and its character-driven setting.

Cast and creative team

Ghasideh Golmakani directed and wrote Head to Head. Mehrnoosh Sattari plays Bahar, with Saeed Naderi as Sina and Ebrahim Azizi as Ebi. The cast also includes Lily Farhadpour as Passenger, Elaheh Farazmand as Ms. Saba and Bahador Bastanhagh as Jamshid. Amir Hajimohammadi, Saman Mazloomi, Reza Mohseni and Mohammad Taha Saeedi are also credited.

• Mehrnoosh Sattari as Bahar
• Saeed Naderi as Sina
• Ebrahim Azizi as Ebi
• Lily Farhadpour as Passenger
• Amir Hajimohammadi
• Saman Mazloomi
• Reza Mohseni
• Elaheh Farazmand as Ms. Saba
• Bahador Bastanhagh as Jamshid
• Mohammad Taha Saeedi

Release and production context

Head to Head is a 2026 production from Iran and Germany, spoken in Persian. It has a listed release date of September 13, 2026, and a runtime of 1 hour and 20 minutes. The film is classified as a drama and is directed and written by Ghasideh Golmakani.

Head to Head official trailer

Watch the official trailer on YouTube

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Head to Head uses the setting of a film production to examine what happens when professional hopes collide with discomfort and wounded pride. With its Persian-language Iranian-German production context and focused premise, it offers a concise drama centered on the choices made by Bahar and the actors she casts.

Film data:
TMDB · IMDb