Venture miles into Tunisia’s orange-red desert and you may stumble upon remnants of the Star Wars prequel sets, frozen in time.
While sci-fi enthusiasts might dismiss the divisive prequel films, some will be astonished to find these iconic structures left exposed to the elements, marring the Tunisian skyline.
Wooden and fibreglass towers, faux pipes leading nowhere, and yellowed whitewashed walls serve as the only reminders for locals involved in the filming of Star Wars that Hollywood once graced their land.
Yet, Taieb Jallouli, the man who constructed the sets, remains optimistic about a Hollywood return. Speaking to The Guardian, he said: “Film companies talk about coming back. Ridley Scott was talking about filming here, Pompeii was due to be filmed here, but there’s always something. I’m retired now, but most of the old technicians don’t work in the film industry any more. A lot work in construction, anything really. We get by.”
Jallouli built the Mos Espa sets in 1988. The smaller set succumbed to the relentless force of the Saharan sand dunes, reports the Mirror.
Some speculate it will resurface when the sands shift again – though it’s uncertain when this might occur.
In 2005, Jallouli returned on a government contract to refurbish the set as a tourist attraction. However, the Tunisian revolution and a series of late terrorist attacks made his mission unachievable.
Around 50 technicians were on hand during the filming of the prequels, starring Natalie Portman and Ewan McGregor. The area was also teeming with extras from nearby towns like Tozeur and Nefta to fill out the backdrop of an entire alien planet.
Once shooting wrapped up, the sets were left untouched, only to deteriorate over time before briefly serving as a tourist attraction.
In Sidi Bouhlel, two white stucco mausoleums stand at the entrance to its ravine.
One is larger and is claimed to be guarded by a man who says he is the mausoleum’s keeper.
The striking ravine, located half an hour east of Tozeur in south-west Tunisia, features so prominently in the original film that the 1977 crew dubbed it Star Wars Canyon.
The Lars Homestead Exterior is arguably the most recognisable of all the Star Wars locations.
Situated miles away from any signpost, road or dwelling, the small fibreglass igloo sits in a scene of complete abandonment. The current structure is a replica of the 1977 original, built on the same foundations by Jallouli’s team and then restored by a group of dedicated volunteers in 2012.