Filmmaker Christopher Nolan is under scrutiny for shooting his latest film, The Odyssey, in the contentious Western Sahara region.

The historical epic, featuring stars such as Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya, has been filmed in Dakhla, a coastal city largely occupied by Morocco.

Western Sahara is classified as a “non-self-governing” territory by the United Nations and has a long history of conflict, with the indigenous Sahrawi people seeking independence and control over their land.

The Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara) has called on Nolan to halt production, expressing solidarity with the Sahrawi people.

In a statement, the festival emphasized that “Dakhla is not just a beautiful place with cinematic sand dunes,” but a militarized city where the Sahrawi population faces severe repression under Moroccan occupation.

Festival director María Carrión criticized Nolan and the production team for allegedly “contributing to Morocco’s repression of the Sahrawi people” by filming in the region.

The backlash gained momentum when actor Javier Bardem shared the festival’s statement on Instagram, highlighting the plight of the Sahrawi people and condemning the use of Dakhla as a film set.

He noted, “For 50 years, Morocco has occupied Western Sahara, expelling the Sahrawi people from their cities.”

The Odyssey is set to be released in theaters on July 17, 2026, but its filming location has sparked significant controversy.