Bir Lehlou (Sahrawi Republic), 18 July 2026 (SPS)– The Sahrawi Working Group on Natural Resources and Related Legal Issues, in a statement issued on Saturday, expressed its strong condemnation of the filming of part of Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” in the occupied city of Dakhla, stressing that the film's global release must not become a vehicle for whitewashing Morocco's illegal occupation of Western Sahara or lending it an appearance of legitimacy.
The Working Group stated that by filming in the occupied city under the authorization and logistical support of the Moroccan occupation authorities, the production has, whether intentionally or not, contributed to normalizing and whitewashing the occupation. It noted that Western Sahara remains a Non-Self-Governing Territory whose people have yet to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination, as recognized under international law.
The group emphasized that the legal status of Western Sahara is firmly established under international law, recalling that the International Court of Justice in its 1975 Advisory Opinion, the United Nations, and the Court of Justice of the European Union in its 2024 rulings have all affirmed that the Territory is separate and distinct from Morocco, and that Morocco possesses neither sovereignty nor any legal authority to administer it.
The statement further noted that the Court of Justice of the European Union has also confirmed that any activity concerning Western Sahara requires the consent of the Sahrawi people, represented by the Frente POLISARIO as their legitimate and sole representative, stressing that no such consent was sought or obtained before filming took place on occupied Sahrawi territory.
In the same context, the Working Group argued that the circumstances under which the production was carried out reveal a troubling double standard. While the Moroccan occupation authorities granted privileged access and special facilities to one of the world's largest film productions to operate in occupied Dakhla, they continue to deny entry to international journalists, human rights observers, lawyers and parliamentary delegations seeking to document the reality of the occupation and assess the human rights situation.
The statement also pointed out that Sahrawi journalists, filmmakers and human rights defenders continue to face surveillance, intimidation, arbitrary detention, confiscation of equipment and other forms of retaliation for documenting peaceful demonstrations and serious human rights violations. It stressed that a territory where its people are denied the freedom to tell their own story should not be presented to the world as a neutral filming location or an acceptable cinematic destination.
The Working Group further maintained that the production cannot be separated from what it described as Morocco's broader strategy to normalize its occupation through tourism, investment, sporting events and cultural productions. It stressed that international films of this scale provide the occupation with global visibility, economic gains and political symbolism that Morocco exploits to reinforce its unlawful claims over the Territory while concealing decades of repression, settlement policies and the illegal exploitation of Sahrawi natural resources.
The group called on Universal Pictures, Syncopy Productions and all companies involved in the production of The Odyssey to recognize the distinct legal status of Western Sahara and to adopt effective human rights due diligence policies to ensure that future productions do not contribute to supporting, entrenching or normalizing situations that are unlawful under international law.
It also appealed to filmmakers, cultural institutions and the global entertainment industry to ensure that artistic freedom does not become a means of legitimizing occupation, colonialism, cultural exploitation or the denial of the fundamental rights of peoples, stressing that both legal and ethical responsibility require full respect for international law when selecting filming locations and operating in territories under occupation or subject to conflict.
The Working Group concluded its statement by reaffirming that cinema has the power to inspire, educate and give voice to forgotten stories, but should never become a tool for erasing or distorting them. It reiterated that the Sahrawi people will continue their struggle to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and to ensure that neither their land nor their history is exploited in service of the political interests of an occupying power.
The statement comes amid growing international criticism surrounding The Odyssey. Several organizations have voiced concern over the decision to film parts of the movie in occupied Western Sahara, while international media have extensively highlighted the controversy, focusing on the implications of filming in an occupied territory and what critics describe as intentional or unintentional complicity in Morocco's occupation.
Reports have also noted that director Christopher Nolan reportedly met Morocco's Minister of Culture in occupied Dakhla during the production, a visit that received extensive coverage by Moroccan state and pro-government media. (SPS)
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