A pilgrimage through 'Star Wars' filming locations in Tunisia
In southern Tunisia, locals are working hard to maintain the Star Wars film set - and draw tourists. Follow the footsteps of Luke Skywalker and rediscover some of the sites where the original movie was filmed.
Look like a real Jedi
They look like two wooden rockets, but fans will recognize the moisture vaporators in use on planet Tatooine: They were left behind to show that this was once the location of the spaceport of Mos Espa, a "Star Wars" settlement. Visitors can take pictures of themselves wearing an "original Jedi cloak" - at least that's what the souvenir sellers claim they are.
Sand dunes threatened Mos Espa
Star Wars fans around the world raised money and managed to save the filming location of Mos Espa from sinking. Tons of sand were shoveled away with excavators. Now fans and tourists can keep on visiting the hometown of Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader.
Tourists at the center of attention
Very few visitors come nowadays to the film city of Mos Espa in the remote Southwest of Tunisia, so local souvenir dealers tout their goods as soon as anyone shows up. French tourists Yvonne and François Boisson were nonetheless eager to visit the set. Huge Star Wars fans, they follow the footsteps of Luke Skywalker.
Working in a foreign galaxy
Working for over 30 years in tourism, souvenir merchant Salem Ben Said has spent many of them in another galaxy: on the planet Tatooine, where the city of Mos Espa is located in the film. Among other souvenirs, he sells small dried scorpions and jewelry.
Where it all began
This is where the very first "Star Wars" movie was shot. The architecture of the hotel Sidi Driss, built into the earth, is not uncommon in Matmata, a small desert town in central Tunisia. The building technique offers protection from the heat. But when filmmaker George Lucas discovered it, he must have felt like he had just landed on another planet.
Mandatory stop for every Star Wars pilgrim
In the first movie of 1977, the young Luke Skywalker lives with his uncle and aunt in this house. The photograph on the wall shows a familiar scene that took place in the dining room of the Skywalkers. Luke grew up there - another reason why the hotel Sidi Driss is a must-stop for all Star Wars fans.
The Skywalkers' orphan dining room
Only few tourists go to Tunisia these days - and that is particularly noticeable outside the major centers. It used to be difficult to find a place to eat on these tables among all the Star Wars fans, but now the place is usually empty. But without the tourists, the dining room looks more like it did in the film.
Run-down props
Plastic pipes, blades, buttons: these props are parts of a spaceship left over from the film shoot. Today, the paint is peeling off and, like the whole hotel, they're a bit shabby. But that adds unique charm to the town.
This lightsaber is out of order
Like any true Jedi, Luke Skywalker had a lightsaber. Although it looked elegant and futuristic in the film, the prop was nothing more than a plastic rod emitting croaking noises. This one stopped lighting up years ago. The hotel's walls are covered with photos. The one on the bottom left shows Star Wars creator George Lucas and his team in 1975.
Guardian of the holy site
Today, Masoud Rashid is often alone in the hotel Sidi Driss. He has been managing it for many years and still cherishes it and cares for it. He fondly remembers when the big crews showed up to shoot the movies, transforming the whole region for a few weeks. The latest Star Wars movie was shot in Abu Dhabi - officially for security reasons.