Christopher Nolan is under fire for filming scenes from his upcoming epic The Odyssey in Western Sahara, a region largely occupied by Morocco and considered a non-self-governing territory by the United Nations.
Nolan spent four days shooting in Dakhla, a city described as both a strategic Moroccan site and a contested zone within the long-standing Sahrawi independence struggle.
The production has drawn criticism from the Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara), which stated that filming in Dakhla contributes to “Morocco’s repression of the Sahrawi people.”
“Dakhla is not just a beautiful place with cinematic sand dunes. First and foremost, it is an occupied and militarised city,” FiSahara wrote. Festival director María Carrión added that the production, whether intentional or not, supports “cultural normalisation with the occupation.”
The cast of The Odyssey includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway and Zendaya. The film, which adapts Homer’s classic tale, has also filmed in Greece, Italy and other parts of Morocco.
Actor Javier Bardem reposted FiSahara’s statement on Instagram, criticising the shoot and calling for the liberation of Western Sahara. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture of the Polisario Front called the production “a dangerous form of cultural normalisation.”
Universal Pictures and Nolan have not yet responded to the controversy. However, Reda Benjelloun of the Moroccan Cinematographic Center praised the project, calling Dakhla “a future hub for international productions.”
The Odyssey is scheduled for release on July 17, 2026 with early ticket sales already underway.
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