Interview: Rakan Mayasi • Director of Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep - “I Didn’t Want My Actors to Act; I Wanted Them to Simply Be Themselves” - Cannes 2026 - Un Certain Regard

Key Takeaways

• Mayasi’s debut film selected for Cannes Un Certain Regard 2026
• The film blends documentary realism with fiction, using no scripted dialogue
• Real villagers portray themselves, emphasizing authentic forced‑marriage narratives
• Production relied on minimal crew and improvised long takes
• Spotlights ongoing forced marriage and tribal vendetta issues in Lebanon

Pulse Analysis

Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section has long served as a proving ground for boundary‑pushing cinema, and Rakan Mayasi’s Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep fits that ethos perfectly. By abandoning a conventional screenplay and inviting a real family to inhabit fictional roles, the film creates a hybrid documentary‑fiction experience that feels both intimate and unsettling. This approach resonates with Cannes’ appetite for fresh voices that challenge narrative norms, positioning Mayasi alongside other innovators who use the festival platform to amplify socially urgent stories.

The narrative centers on two sisters in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, forced into marriage amid a tribal vendetta that mirrors the director’s personal tribute to his grandmother’s early marriage. By foregrounding the lived realities of forced marriage, the film adds a cinematic dimension to a human‑rights issue that remains under‑reported in mainstream media. Its documentary‑style aesthetic captures daily rhythms—cooking, communal meals, and the stark geography—while the underlying drama underscores how entrenched customs can trap young women in cycles of violence and silence.

From a production standpoint, Mayasi’s minimalist methodology—no boom pole, a handful of crew, and long, improvised takes—demonstrates that compelling storytelling does not require blockbuster budgets. The success at Cannes signals to financiers and studios that low‑budget, scriptless projects can achieve critical acclaim, potentially reshaping funding models for socially conscious cinema. As audiences seek authentic, immersive experiences, films like Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep may pave the way for a new wave of improvisational, reality‑infused narratives that blend art with advocacy.