Greta Thunberg makes surprise Zurich appearance for Western Sahara film

Greta Thunberg made a surprise appearance on Tuesday at the Zurich Film Festival for the world premiere of the documentary My Home of Wind and Sand, according to Variety.

The Swedish climate activist joined the screening and then took part in a panel titled Resistance and Activism for Western Sahara. The festival had billed the panel as a spontaneous addition to its programme, according to a festival post.

The film, directed by Patrick Wally, follows Sahrawi human rights activist Najla Mohamed-Lamin and her fight for Western Sahara independence, Variety reported. It premiered in Zurich on Tuesday, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

My Home of Wind and Sand documents the occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco. Morocco has occupied the territory since 1975 in what is often described as the last colonial conflict in Africa. In 2025, the United States reaffirmed its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara.

Thunberg has a direct connection to the story. She visited a Sahrawi refugee camp in 2025. In Zurich, she called for action on Western Sahara, according to Bluewin, and spoke about links between the Sahrawi struggle and wider climate and social justice campaigns.

The subject has already touched mainstream production. Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey faced backlash for filming scenes in Western Sahara, with the Western Sahara International Film Festival urging him to stop production there.

For buyers, this means there is something concrete to chase. Lightdox has acquired sales rights to My Home of Wind and Sand — in plain terms, the job of selling the film to distributors around the world — according to Deadline. The film is set for public screenings on Wednesday and Thursday after its Tuesday world premiere.