‘The Odyssey’ Faces Boycott Calls Over Western Sahara Filming Location

The Sahara International Film Festival has called for a formal boycott of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film “The Odyssey,” after it emerged that some scenes were shot in Dakhla, a city in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
“The Odyssey,” a historical drama starring Zendaya and Matt Damon, is set for worldwide release on July 17. Organizers of the festival, which is held in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria, said Nolan’s choice of Dakhla as a filming location amounted to a violation of international law and the rights of the Sahrawi people over their territory and resources.
In a statement, the festival said: “When Christopher Nolan steps onto the red carpet for the premiere, he will also be stepping over a violation of international law — specifically the right of the Sahrawi people to their territory and resources, which are allegedly being illegally exploited by Morocco.” The organizers urged the public to join a general boycott of the film.
Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony rich in mineral resources, has been largely administered by Morocco since 1975, though the United Nations classifies it as a non-self-governing territory. A long-running dispute persists between Morocco and the Algeria-backed Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people.
The festival noted that it had also appealed to Nolan last year not to include scenes filmed in the territory. Spanish actor Javier Bardem was quoted in the festival’s statement saying he would advise Nolan “to understand the history of the Moroccan government’s repression against the Sahrawi people.” Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of its territory and has proposed administering it as an autonomous region, while the Polisario Front continues to demand a referendum on self-determination.