Christopher Nolan faces backlash for filming The Odyssey in disputed Western Sahara: ‘Contributing to the repression…’
Earlier this month, Christopher Nolan filmed parts of his next project, The Odyssey, in the Western Sahara, 70% of which is occupied by Morocco.
Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, which stars Matt Damon and Tom Holland, is off to a rocky start. The filmmaker is facing backlash for filming his next project in disputed Western Sahara, with people saying he is fueling “brutal repression unknowingly”.
Christopher Nolan faces criticism
Nolan is facing criticism for filming parts of his upcoming The Odyssey in the Western Sahara, 70% of which is occupied by Morocco. Earlier this month, the director filmed for four days near the coastal city of Dakhla. Western Sahara is a disputed territory and is classified as “non-self-governing” by the United Nations.
Last week, after the shoot had wrapped in the region, the Western Sahara International Film Festival (aka FiSahara) released a statement asking Nolan to stop production.
“Dakhla is not just a beautiful location with cinematic sand dunes. Primarily, it is an occupied, militarised city whose indigenous Sahrawi population is subject to brutal repression by occupying Moroccan forces,” the festival said.
“By filming part of The Odyssey in an occupied territory billed as a ‘news black hole’ by Reporters Without Borders, Nolan and his team, perhaps unknowingly and unwillingly, are contributing to the repression of the Sahrawi people by Morocco, and to the Moroccan regime’s efforts to normalise its occupation of Western Sahara,” said FiSahara Executive Director María Carrión.
In a statement, FiSahara continued: “We are sure that were they to understand the full implications of filming such a high-profile film in a territory whose indigenous peoples are unable to make their own films about their stories under occupation, Nolan and his team would be horrified.”
“Morocco routinely touts Sahrawi cultural expressions as uniquely Moroccan. They created a film festival in Dakhla to counter ours, and produce high-budget films that portray Western Sahara as part of Morocco. However, Sahrawis trying to make films about their lives are persecuted and must work clandestinely and at great risk to themselves and their families,” read the note.
Actor Javier Bardem, who has appeared at FiSahara in the past, posted the festival’s statement on his Instagram. Representatives for Universal and Nolan have not commented on the stir yet.
About The Odyssey
Based on Homer's epic Odyssey, the Christopher Nolan film will chronicle the journey of Odysseus, the mythical king of Ithaca, and his perilous return home after the Trojan War. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, along with Tom Holland as his son Telemachus. The rest of the star-studded cast includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page. The film is set to premiere on July 17, 2026.
