4 Movies by MENA Filmmakers Make it to Cannes 2026 Selection

Four films with strong ties to the Middle East and North Africa have been selected for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, featuring works by acclaimed directors Asghar Farhadi, Arthur Harari, Laila Marrakchi, and Rakan Mayasi. The selections span the festival's prestigious Competition and Un Certain Regard sections, highlighting the region's continued influence on global cinema.

Leading the charge in the main Competition is Iranian master Asghar Farhadi with his new film, Parallel Tales. Farhadi is a Cannes veteran, having previously won Best Screenplay and Best Actor for The Salesman in 2016 and the Grand Prix for A Hero in 2021. His return to the top prize comes after a brief hiatus, following his role as jury president in 2022. Despite facing plagiarism allegations regarding A Hero in 2022, which he firmly denied, Farhadi remains one of the most celebrated voices in international cinema.

Also competing in the main section is Egyptian-French director Arthur Harari with his film The Unknown. Harari, who recently won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Anatomy of a Fall (co-written with Justine Triet), previously made his mark at Cannes with Onoda: 10,000 Nights in the Jungle, which screened in Un Certain Regard in 2021.

In the Un Certain Regard section, Moroccan director Laila Marrakchi presents her third feature, La mas douce. Marrakchi first gained international attention at Cannes in 2005 with her debut Marock. Her new film tells the story of two young Moroccan women who travel to southern Spain for seasonal strawberry harvesting and subsequently decide to report the abuse and harassment they endure.

Rounding out the selection is Palestinian-German filmmaker Rakan Mayasi with his debut feature, Yesterday the Eye Didn’t Sleep. Set in the Bekaa Valley, the film centers on the search for a missing girl. Mayasi, who is based between Brussels and Beirut, has previously garnered acclaim for his short films.

The 2026 festival, running from May 12 to May 23, will be presided over by South Korean director Park Chan-wook, marking the first time a South Korean filmmaker has led the Cannes jury. The inclusion of these four diverse voices underscores the festival's commitment to showcasing storytelling from the MENA region.

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