An enduring friendship across the desert, breathtaking landscapes and a rare white dromedary to save at any cost. It airs on August 5, 2026, in prime time on Rai 1, Teo and Zodì, a camel as a friend, the film by Éric Barbier that captivates audiences of all ages. Let us discover where the most emotional scenes were filmed.
What it’s about
Teo, a young nomad, finds abandoned in the desert a baby dromedary and decides to adopt him, growing deeply fond of the animal and making it a true life companion. Once grown, Zodì, the name chosen for the camel, proves to be an excellent runner, so Teo decides to enter him in an important race held every year in Abu Dhabi.
However, a jealous poacher abducts Zodì: Teo’s mission becomes a race against time to locate his animal friend. He won’t be alone: a young veterinarian who has taken the case to heart comes to his aid.
Where the film was shot
The film, with music by Mika—a first-time foray into cinema scoring—is shot in the Western Sahara, among endless desert plains, ancient kasbahs, tribal camps and major centers of local trade.
Ouarzazate
Among the filming locations for Teo e Zodì, un cammello per amico there is in particular Ouarzazate: a city that has long leveraged its strategic position between Marrakech and the desert, and where since the 1950s international productions with multi-figure budgets have been shot. On screen, the wide expanses of red earth are unmistakable, occasionally giving way to the greenery of palm oases.
The Kasbah of Taourirt, one of the largest and best-preserved in the area, recognized for its historic-artistic value also by UNESCO, is among the sights to see in Ouarzazate, together with the ksar (a typical fortified village built with straw and mud) of Aït Ben Haddou and the Fint Oasis.
The film facilities, such as the studios where Teo e Zodì, un cammello per amico was also shot, have become among the most appreciated tourist attractions in Ouarzazate.
Dakhla
Other scenes of the film, those in which Teo negotiates with poachers and camel traders, were shot in Dakhla. This tongue of sand and water has long been a beloved spot for surfers, kitesurfers, windsurfers and other water sports.
Yet not lacking are natural attractions such as the large White Dune, reachable by crossing the desert on foot or in a 4×4, and from its summit one enjoys a unique panorama: here some scenes from Nolan’s epic Odyssey were also filmed. Facing the coast and, when the tide is low, reachable on foot, the Dragon Island is named for its evocative shape.
A short distance from Dakhla, among the pearls not to be missed is the Asma hot spring: water bubbling at 38°C is a true elixir of well-being offered by the desert. The city center, one of the largest in the region of the same name, as Éric Barbier’s film also reminds, has long been at the center of important exchanges of typical products, such as spices and more.
Abu Dhabi
Among the places where the film was shot is Abu Dhabi as well, for some scenes of the final camel race: in particular, we see in the background the Al Wathba Camel Race Track and the desert zones of the Al Dhafra region.
