Greta Thunberg condemns Western Sahara occupation at Zurich Film Festival premiere

The climate activist joined the Zurich premiere of a documentary on Sahrawi activist Najla Mohamed Lamin, calling the film powerful and urging action against the region’s long‑standing occupation.

By Felo News Desk · Published Wed, 30 Sep 2026 07:48:10 GMT

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg made a surprise appearance on Tuesday at the Zurich Film Festival for the premiere of the documentary “My Home of Wind and Sand,” according to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

What happened

The screening took place on 30 September 2026 in Zurich, Switzerland. The film, directed by Austrian filmmaker Patrick Wally and sold by Lightbox, follows Sahrawi human‑rights activist Najla Mohamed Lamin over a ten‑year period, documenting her life in refugee camps near Tindouf, Algeria, and her advocacy for Western Sahara’s independence from Moroccan control.

What the reports add

Variety noted that Thunberg called the documentary “powerful” and said it could “create change,” and she condemned what she called “extreme hypocrisy” surrounding the conflict.
The Hollywood Reporter highlighted that the film depicts the UN Security Council’s adoption of a U.S.–sponsored resolution describing genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the “most feasible solution” to the dispute.
Both outlets mentioned Thunberg’s earlier January 2025 visit to Sahrawi camps, during which Najla Mohamed Lamin acted as her translator.
Variety reported that Thunberg participated in a special panel discussion titled “Resistance and Activism for Western Sahara” after the screening.
Variety also referenced recent controversy over Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which faced backlash for filming in Western Sahara and was condemned by the Western Sahara International Film Festival.

What was said

“There’s this extreme hypocrisy that makes me so, so angry and upset,” Thunberg said, adding, “For me, this movie was so much about betrayal. There are so many levels of betrayal. First, there’s the occupation and the violence itself that somehow becomes ‘normal’ or is viewed as normal. It’s not easy to get any media attention and clicks, which is another betrayal.”

“Then there’s the betrayal of the international solidarity movement,” she continued, urging privileged audiences to “amplify the Western Sahara struggles” or risk being “nothing more than hypocrites.”

Thunberg also told Lamin, “I’m convinced that people like you do not want thanks or applause, but action. It falls on every single one of us in this room, especially us privileged people who have a platform and access to resources, to take that moral obligation to amplify the Western Sahara struggles.”

The Hollywood Reporter quoted Thunberg as speaking “plainly about what must change” and echoed her criticism of media silence, though it did not provide a verbatim line.

How it came about

Najla Mohamed Lamin has been campaigning for Western Sahara’s liberation since growing up in the refugee camps. The region has been occupied by Morocco since 1975, a fact noted by both sources. In 2025 the United States reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty, a development referenced in the documentary. Thunberg’s involvement follows her January 2025 visit to the camps, where she met Lamin and observed conditions firsthand, leading to her participation in the Zurich premiere and the accompanying panel discussion.

Key facts

Greta Thunberg appeared at the Zurich Film Festival premiere of "My Home of Wind and Sand" on 30 September 2026. (variety.com)
The documentary follows Sahrawi activist Najla Mohamed Lamin and was directed by Patrick Wally. (hollywoodreporter.com)
Thunberg called the film "powerful" and criticized the hypocrisy surrounding Western Sahara's occupation. (variety.com)
Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco since 1975. (variety.com)
The United States reaffirmed recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara in 2025. (variety.com)

Timeline

1975-10-01 — Morocco begins occupation of Western Sahara.
2025-01-15 — Greta Thunberg visits Sahrawi refugee camps with Najla Mohamed Lamin.
2025-04-20 — U.S. reaffirms recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.
2026-09-30 — Zurich Film Festival premiere of "My Home of Wind and Sand" with Greta Thunberg in attendance.