Link: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/16/the-odyssey-sahrawi-people-christopher-nolan-western-sahara

TL;DR: The iconic desert landscapes from the movie belong to Western Sahara which is under Moroccan occupation. The indigenous population, Sahrawis, are marginalised by the Moroccan regime, who arrest natives for filming their own land while giving complete permission and assistance to Western film producers to shoot their scenes.

I highly recommend reading the article as it's written by one of the locals themselves.

Why YSK: Seeing how The Odyssey has amassed popularity globally, it is important to know how the illegal occupation of the Western Sahara and the suffering of the inhabitants was swept under the rug in order to produce this film, especially since no other major media outlet wishes to cover this topic.

It's a movie about war, is it not?

Please watch this.

https://www.democracynow.org/2018/8/31/four_days_in_occupied_western_sahara

Western Sahara.

Another story of postcolonial greed. Fight for resources, fuck the people (and call them terrorists when they fight for their own land).

Once saw a docu on that, it's horrifying, not least because so few people are aware.

Please also be aware that when you buy produce from Morocco, esp. tomatoes iirc, it's likely to be grown in Western Sahara in a very exploitative way.

Thanks for making it a YSK (but imho Western Sahara should be in the title).

Also terribly inaccurate. Clytemnestra was slay though

Damn this is crazy. I had no idea Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara was so brutal

Meanwhile if any of these people try to escape this oppression by migrating anywhere they'll get treated like terrorists

so you're saying I shouldn't PAY to watch this movie... wouldn't want to give my hard earned money to anyone taking advantage of such a situation.

See also: Dobby’s grave

They filmed in Western Sahara? 💀 Discussion should've been focused on that instead of the races of the actors

I wish I knew about this fact before I went to watch the film

"Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara"

As a Moroccan, I don't need to read any further than the first line. Sahara is part of Morocco, not occupied by it. So for me the rest should be is not very credible.

On 10 December 2020, US President Donald Trump proclaimed that the United States recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara_autonomy_proposal

The movie was good enough to dull existence for the nearly 3 hour runtime. That said, I will probably never choose to watch it again. So there's Fudgy's review.

Trump supporting your stance is not the flex you believe it is

Trump recognizing Morrocan sovereignty is not the argument you think it is.

The authority you’re appealing to is Donald Trump? And you think that makes you look like the good guy?

it’s written by one of the [local indigenes] themselves.

I suspect the reporting will be completely without bias or agenda, "Reporting the news, not being the news"

On 10 December 2020, US President Donald Trump proclaimed that the United States recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Sahara_autonomy_proposal

The authority you’re appealing to is Donald Trump? And you think that makes you look like the good guy?

You may not be getting it; or maybe I am not.

1. article leans on Trump as source for ... anything.
2. local resident calls it out with counter-argument and supporting document for an existing, better solution
3. you slam resident

Did I get that right?

Discussion should’ve been focused on that instead of the races of the actors

One would hope.

Remember when the hillbillies got all bothered over a non-white ariel in the new Littlest Mermaid? The troll engines are whipping up a new outraged mob.

No, you didn’t. Substitute “resident” for “occupier” or “colonizer” and you’ll be on the right track.

It’s a movie about war, is it not?

When I read the book, it was about a journey home. It's actually in the title; or really it is the title. Did we learn the word 'odyssey' in one of those high-falutin' book-learnin' elementary schools?

terribly inaccurate

The written story was from a single quoted source, third-hand before it was on paper.

What's your expectation here? Our news reports land claims in court based on "we tell stories of how this was ours always, and we don't know who, how or why people were living here before us or died out so suddenly and brutally when our ancestors arrived." Accuracy isn't required for court, so it's maybe okay for stories.

But did it goes to film in as a way to go through into the main places that be are and in on to be? Obviously, but not whether it won't will to be, and then it is, as it does. Not that I do that sort of thing, y'know?

Wut

Wat wat in the butt

Carry on

No u

I didn't either it's horrible

I, uh...do not know.

You lying apparition of my own malaised mind, get going, get the god damn capella outta your Ruby Tuesdays, it is now time to vamoose as I have a large scale bowel movement, at least a category three with much moonlighting in the kumquat Comcast complicity confinement, obviously. You dig, or do I have to get rid of a fistula for you good sir and/or ma'am and/or etc?

That's messed up and all but I don't think this is holding back the booming Western Saharan movie industry.

That twist in the middle with John Odyssey was cool tho

I hear his secret evil twin brother Billy Odyssey ran away with the secret fifth element, Heart, in the (secret) third act

You may need to read the wikipedia article to get a better view on my point of view. I only cited one is Trump because he is USA president. Which is a big powerful nation and is very popular. Have I had cited minister of Kenya, it would not get as much impact.
Also "In July 2023, Israel officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara".

The idea here is not providing an argument of authority. Rather demonstrating that Morocco is not occupying Sahara and countries are agreeing to that.