Ksar Hadada

OVERVIEW

Site: Ksar Hadada (northwest corner area)

GPS: 33.100502, 10.313744

Location: Ksar Hadada village center (Tataouine Governorate) / Southeast Tunisia

Description: Amazigh fortified granary (mid-19th century CE)

Repurposed: Hotel Ksar Hadada

Film: Episode I 

Set construction start: Early July 1997

Production: 10 August 1997

Film sets:
Mos Espa slave quarters backyards
Mos Espa slave quarters street

Leads on set:
Liam Neeson / Qui-Gon Jinn
Natalie Portman / Padmé Amidala Naberrie
Pernilla August / Shmi Skywalker

Scenes:
80 [“There’s something about this boy”] — Filmed: 10 August 1997
81 [Qui-Gon and Shmi on porch discuss Anakin] — Filmed: 10 August 1997
A82 [Shmi standing alone on porch] — Filmed: 10 August 1997
85 [Padmé exits hovel at sunrise] <deleted> — Filmed: 10 August 1997
Final cut: 3
Deleted: 1

Composited background footage: 1 scene 

Recce: Only prequels film site in Tunisia to be initially scouted but not utilized for Episode IV. The Episode IV recce in mid-November 1975 explored the then-newly restored northwest corner of the site, presumably as a potential location for unrealized Mos Eisley slums street sequences.

Template: Film site north courtyard matched with other northwest corner elements replicated to construct the Mos Espa small set in the Eriguet dunes north of Nefta (Tozeur Governorate).

Background: Northeast corner of Café Salon de Thé (local business) visible in film footage.

Wrap: Final film site/production date for 1st unit Episode I principal photography in Tunisia.

Accessibility: Very easy; foothills terrain; paved roads; parking area (33.100161, 10.313664) directly at the site entrance.