The Only Palestinian Filmmaker in Cannes’ Official Selection Made His Debut Without a Script — and with a Real Bedouin Family
Rakan Mayasi's debut feature, "Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep," is the only film by a Palestinian filmmaker in this year's Cannes official selection. The film explores the complexities of intertribal relations and cultural practices within a Bedouin family against a backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions. Mayasi's work reflects both personal and collective histories, intertwining themes of honor and the impact of conflict on daily life.
- ▪The film was shot in the Beqaa Valley of eastern Lebanon in March 2025.
- ▪It tells the story of a Bedouin family caught in intertribal blood feuds and cultural practices of honor.
- ▪Mayasi had to add sound effects of war drones during post-production to reflect the reality of life in the region.
- ▪The narrative centers around the fate of two sisters after a tragic accident involving their brother.
- ▪Mayasi's film serves as an ode to his grandmother, who experienced forced marriage at a young age.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Toward the start of Rakan Mayasi’s stirring debut feature, “Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep” — the only feature in this year’s Cannes official selection by a filmmaker of Palestinian descent — there’s a striking wide shot of women laboring in a fertile field amid the majestic snow-capped Anti-Lebanon mountains. As the still camera zooms in ever so slowly, our attention shifts from one of the film’s leads, Rim (first-time actor Rim Al Mawla), to the constant sound of a war drone in the distance.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at IndieWire.
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