A New Chapter for Palestinian Cinema
Beirut – The renowned Palestinian director Rakan Mi'asi's film, 'Yesterday, My Eye Did Not Sleep,' is set to embark on an exciting journey through the Arab film festival circuit, following its global premiere in the 'Un Certain Regard' section at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. This marks Mi'asi's debut feature film, which will be showcased at the El Gouna Film Festival from October 15 to 23, and subsequently at the Marrakech International Film Festival from November 20 to 28. The film is uniquely set against the backdrop of the Bekaa Valley, situated on the border between Lebanon and Syria, where a provocative incident ignites a conflict within a tightly-knit Bedouin community. The narrative unfolds as a young girl named Qumra mysteriously disappears, prompting her cousin, Yasser, to embark on a desperate search for her. As Yasser delves deeper into the search, he confronts haunting memories, entrenched animosities, and the slow-burning logic of vengeance. Meanwhile, his two sisters, Jawaher and Reem, are selected to 'repair' the rift that has emerged, yet their opinions are disregarded as they are offered up as sacrifices for peace. One sister is calm and compliant, while the other defies the expectations placed upon her, yet both are acutely aware of how women can be bartered for harmony in their community.
The film's story emerges from the silence that envelops the fields, lingers behind curtains, and hides within the confines of trucks. It portrays women burdened with more than they can bear, men who speak in metaphors, and a land that holds its breath, waiting for a resolution… or a new beginning. Filming was completed in the Bekaa Valley during the spring of 2025, featuring non-professional actors and an improvised script. The lead roles are portrayed by Reem, Jawaher, and Yasser Al-Mu'alla.
Director Rakan Mi'asi draws inspiration for the film from the life of his late grandmother, who was wed off at the tender age of fourteen. He shares, "Even now, I continue to observe these traditions from within. I am captivated by the distance between belonging and alienation, and how individuals navigate systems that predate their existence." Mi'asi is an independent Palestinian filmmaker, born in Germany and currently residing in Brussels. He studied cinema and psychology in Lebanon, trained under the legendary Abbas Kiarostami in South Korea, and later with Béla Tarr in Budapest, earning a Master's degree in directing from the Luca School of Arts in Belgium. His short film 'Perhaps' was screened at the Locarno Festival in 2012, while 'Bonboné' premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2017, receiving 35 accolades for Best Short Film. Additionally, 'Trumpets in the Sky' received a special mention for Best International Short Film at Toronto in 2021, and 'The Key' debuted at the SXSW Festival in 2023.
The film's screenplay is co-written by Wahid Ajami and Paul Saif, with cinematography by Paul Saif, editing by Louis de Schryver, and music composed by Abd Qubaisi and Ted Rigklis. Produced by Atata (Jennifer Ritter) and Rakan Mi'asi, the film has a runtime of 100 minutes and is presented in Arabic.
As reported by alquds.co.uk.
