Christopher Nolan’s star-studded ‘The Odyssey’ draws boycott call before its big-screen debut

TUNIS, July 4 — The Sahara International Film Festival called on Friday for a boycott of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey over scenes shot in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

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.

The epic fantasy, scheduled for release this month in the United States, was partially filmed in the peninsula of Dakhla in the disputed territory, with a cast including Zendaya and Matt Damon.

“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.

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. — AFP