20/04/2026
This journey has its own logic, and looking back, every step made sense.
From “Bonboné” to “Trumpets in the Sky” to “The Key”, which I line-produced, I watched Rakan build a body of work that never compromised and never rushed. TIFF. Moscow. SXSW. The world kept saying yes to his vision, and he kept going deeper into it.
I believed in these projects because they were never safe choices, and because he always seemed to work with full confidence. Working alongside Rakan on those sets, I understood early that he wasn’t just making films, he was searching for something real. That search always drew from the same two wells: his grandmother, whose presence, and lately her absence (Roam In Peace), shaped his imagination in ways that keep surfacing in his work, and Palestine, his homeland, a place he carries and discovers through cinema, over and over.
His first feature, “Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep البارح العين ما نامت”, shot in the Bekaa Valley with non-professional actors and no script, is exactly where that search leads when you trust it long enough.
Cannes Un Certain Regard is not a surprise. It’s a confirmation of a difficult but pleasant journey.
Proud to have been part of the road, my friend. Mabrouk to all of us.
Rakan Mayasi debut feature “Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep البارح العين ما نامت” is in Festival de Cannes 2026 Official Selection, Un Certain Regard.
Featuring Rim Al Mawla Jawaher Al Mawla Yasser Al Mawla
Written and directed by Rakan Mayasi
Director of Photography Pôl Seif
Produced by Jennifer Ritter Rakan Mayasi
Editor Louis De Schrijver
Co-written by Wahid Ajmi
Sound Designer Lama Sawaya
Sound Recordist Bassam Lebbos
Re-recording Mixer Philippe Charbonnel
Original Music Abed Kobeissy
Art Director and Wardrobe Lea Chammas
Associate Producers Thomas Meys May Odeh Josh Palmer David Claikens Alex Verbaere Philippe Logie Valerie Berlemont
Associate Co-producers Beata Saboova Vincent Metzinger Juliette Hourcourigaray
Executive Producer Roger Waters
Line Producer Josef X Kalüf
Production Manager Anthony Merheb
Production Coordinator Alexandra El Kahwagi
Fixer Mohsen Chaaban
Assistant Director Jessica Jalalaty
1st Assistant Camera Jad AbouAbdo
2nd Assistant Camera Ashraf Aatieh
Gaffer & DIT Lea Skayem
Gaffer & Key Grip Raffi Kasparian
Platform Studios CAMESCOOP
Chant Etyemezian
With the support of light productions of the Federation Wallonie Bruxelles
With the support of the Final Cut in Venice program of the Venice International Film Festival 2025
With the support of CineLink Work in Progress of the Sarajevo Film Festival 2025
With the support of Red Sea Souk Work in Progress 2025
Winner of the Red Sea Souk Work-in-progress Special Jury Award
Participated in the Doha Film Institute Producers Lab 2024
Participated in the Doha Film Institute First Cut Lab 2025
With the support of SACD in BELGIUM
Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles/Officiel
La Biennale di Venezia
Red Sea International Film Festival
Doha Film Institute
First Cut Lab Tatino Films
SARAJEVO FILM FESTIVAL CineLink Industry Days
Palestine Film Institute Marché du Film - Festival de Cannes
Mayana Camescoop Cobalt SACD Belgique Oticons
Komposit Proximus Be tv Orange Tax Shelter Belgique BNPPFFF
Visual Effects Komposit
VFX Producer Gilles Munten
VFX Compositor Sam Bodson
VFX Compositor Louna Dapoigny
Color Grading Cobalt Films
Colourist Loup Brenta
DI Lab Technician Titouan Le Guillou
DI Lab Technician Paul Millot
DI Lab Technician Lucien Keller
Foley Artist Geddy Kamel
Foley Artist Mohamed Choucair
ADR Recordist Bassam Lebbos
Music Supervision by Oticons George Christopoulos
Thanks to: Renée Awit
