Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, a $250 million Hollywood epic and the most expensive film of the acclaimed director's career, has become an unexpected focal point in one of Africa's longest-running territorial disputes after scenes were filmed in Western Sahara.
The controversy has thrust the disputed region back into the global spotlight, highlighting how international entertainment, investment, and geopolitics increasingly intersect on the African continent.
The film was shot across multiple countries, including Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland, Morocco and Western Sahara.
The production which is estimated to have cost around $250 million, making it the largest budget of Nolan’s career, was released on July 17 and has been marketed as one of Hollywood’s biggest cinematic events of the year.
Part of the filming took place at the White Dune near the city of Dakhla, a scenic stretch where the Sahara Desert meets the Atlantic Ocean. The area has become a magnet for kitesurfers, birdwatchers and tourists, and Moroccan authorities have promoted it as an emerging international tourism destination.
