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.

  • MML@sh.itjust.works
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    15 hours ago

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

  • AverageEarthling@feddit.online
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    1 day ago

    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.

  • A_norny_mousse@piefed.zip
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    1 day ago

    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).

  • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

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

  • Chick0nPlayz@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

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

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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      19 hours ago

      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.

  • Impractical_Island@lemmy.world
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    19 hours ago

    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?

  • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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    19 hours ago

    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”

  • dragnucs@lemmy.ml
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    20 hours ago

    “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.

    • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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      19 hours ago

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

      • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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        19 hours ago

        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?

        • ayyy@sh.itjust.works
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          19 hours ago

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

    • Miaou@jlai.lu
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      19 hours ago

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

    • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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      19 hours ago

      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?

      • corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca
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        19 hours ago

        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.