Organisers of the Western Sahara international film festival (FiSahara) have criticised Christopher Nolan for shooting part of his adaptation of The Odyssey in Dakhla, a city under Moroccan occupation for 50 years. They warn the move could normalise decades of repression.
The film, starring Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o and Anne Hathaway, is set for release on 17 July 2026. Universal Pictures describes it as “a mythic action epic shot across the world” using new Imax technology.
FiSahara's executive director, María Carrión, said Dakhla is “an occupied and militarised city whose indigenous Sahrawi population is subjected to brutal repression”. She argued that filming there helps Morocco “sell the narrative that Western Sahara is part of Morocco”.
The UN classifies Western Sahara as a “non-self-governing territory”. Human rights groups have reported restrictions on dissent, surveillance, and discrimination against Sahrawi activists. Amnesty International noted that authorities continue to restrict freedoms of association and peaceful assembly.
FiSahara called on Nolan and his team to “stand in solidarity with the Sahrawi people” who have endured occupation for 50 years. Nolan's representatives have been contacted for comment but have yet to respond.
