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Christopher Nolan criticised for The Odyssey filming location

Christopher Nolan, winner of the best directing award and the best picture award for 'Oppenheimer' during the 96th Annual Academy Awards
Christopher Nolan, winner of the best directing award and the best picture award for 'Oppenheimer' during the 96th Annual Academy Awards (Getty Images)
  • Christopher Nolan is facing calls to halt production of his new film, The Odyssey, in the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara.
  • Nolan, along with stars Matt Damon and Zendaya, was spotted in Dakhla, a city within the disputed territory, on 17 July.
  • The Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara) clarified that Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory under Moroccan occupation, not a part of Morocco.
  • FiSahara argues that filming in Dakhla, an occupied and militarised city, contributes to Morocco's repression of the Sahrawi people and normalises the occupation.
  • The film, an adaptation of Homer's Greek poem, is scheduled for release on 17 July 2026, with parts already filmed in Morocco, Greece, and Italy.
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