Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey may be one of the most anticipated films of the year but it has found no takers at the Sahara International Film Festival. The organisers of the film festival called for a boycott of Nolan’s film over scenes shot in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.
What is the controversy about?
Nolan’s period drama is scheduled for release worldwide on July 17, was partially filmed in the peninsula of Dakhla in the disputed territory, with a cast including Zendaya and Matt Damon.
The mineral-rich former Spanish colony has been largely controlled by Morocco since 1975 but is considered a non-self-governing territory by the United Nations.
Morocco has long been in conflict with the Algerian-backed Polisario Front, which seeks independence for the Sahrawi people.
"When Christopher Nolan steps on the red carpet on his way to the premiere's screening, he will also be stepping on International Law, specifically the right of the Sahrawi people to their territory and resources, which are being illegally exploited by Morocco," the festival, also known as FiSahara, said in a statement.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
"FiSahara is calling for a general boycott by the public after Christopher Nolan chose the city of Dakhla in Morocco-occupied Western Sahara as one of its locations," it said.
Nolan was asked to drop scenes before
FiSahara, which takes place in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria, had pressured Nolan last year to drop the scenes filmed in the territory.
"I would encourage Mr Nolan to understand the history of the Moroccan regime's repression against the Sahrawi people," Spanish film star Javier Bardem was quoted as saying in the festival's statement.
Morocco maintains that Western Sahara is an integral part of the kingdom and proposes a plan in which it would be an autonomous Moroccan territory. The Polisario Front however maintains its demands to hold a referendum on self-determination.
