Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s decision to shoot scenes for his upcoming movie The Odyssey in Western Sahara has reignited global debate over the contested territory’s political status and the decades-long struggle of its indigenous Sahrawi people. The controversy centers on filming in Dakhla, a coastal city in the region Morocco claims as its “Southern Provinces” but which the United Nations still classifies as a non-self-governing territory awaiting decolonization.
Western Sahara, a resource-rich expanse in North Africa, has been disputed since Spain withdrew in 1975. Morocco subsequently annexed much of the territory, sparking a conflict with the Polisario Front, a liberation movement backed by Algeria that declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) in 1976. A UN-backed referendum to determine the Sahrawi people’s right to self-determination—whether to integrate with Morocco or form an independent state—has been stalled for nearly 50 years, despite a 1975 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling affirming this right. Most Sahrawis now live in Algerian refugee camps, while Morocco administers roughly 80% of the land, investing heavily in infrastructure, tourism, and resource extraction.
International responses to the dispute have shifted in recent years. In 2020, the U.S. recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara as part of a deal normalizing ties between Morocco and Israel. Spain, France, and the UK have since expressed varying degrees of support for Morocco’s 2007 autonomy plan, which offers limited self-governance under Moroccan rule. Critics argue these diplomatic moves prioritize economic and geopolitical interests—such as access to phosphates, fisheries, and renewable energy projects—over legal principles.
Legal institutions have pushed back. In 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights ruled Morocco’s occupation violates Sahrawi self-determination, a fundamental principle of international law. The ICJ reiterated in 2024 that states must not legitimize illegal occupations, citing parallels with Israel’s control of Palestinian territories. The EU’s Court of Justice annulled trade and fisheries agreements with Morocco in October 2024, citing lack of Sahrawi consent.
Nolan’s production in Dakhla highlights Morocco’s efforts to leverage cultural and economic projects to consolidate its claims. The country’s bid to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup and its entertainment industry investments further reflect this strategy. However, activists and legal experts warn that normalizing Morocco’s control without Sahrawi consent undermines international law and sets a dangerous precedent for conflicts worldwide.
“Decisions imposed without consent are not solutions,” said Victor Kattan, a public international law scholar at the University of Nottingham. While Morocco’s autonomy plan is framed as pragmatic, opponents stress that lasting peace requires honoring the Sahrawi people’s unresolved right to determine their future—a right deferred for half a century amid shifting geopolitical tides.
