Invaded by the sand there is still a month Mos Espa, the village of Anakin Skywalker, the Jedi become the legendary Darth Vader, slowly reborn since the bulldozers began to clear away the huts built in the late 1990s the set of "episode 1", the fourth installment of the series.

The goal is to make this place surrounded by the dunes of the Sahara, 45 km from Tozeur, a star attraction as well as the camel rides and oases visits.

First hit in early May, a Tunisian and foreign fans of the Star Wars meeting was held there.

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Dressed as "Stormtroopers", "Imperial Guards", "Jedi" and other "Sith" tens of Tunisians, Germans, Norwegians and Belgians gathered lightsaber in hand to watch the saga, lying on mats and cushions installed Mos Espa to center. And costume parade was held through Tozeur, under the eyes of the people happy.

pilgrimage

"This site is a high place of pilgrimage for thousands of fans and also sustains the local economy, tourism and culture, hence the importance of this operation" sand ladders, falls Raya Ben Guiza, Campaigner associative "Mos Espa Save".

"The first phase was successfully completed, now the site of the spring sand and you can see the entire structure, so we go to the second, and most important: the restoration and development of the decorations," she adds.

Some 137,000 euros are needed to accomplish the mission, about half was put forward by the Ministry of Tourism and the rest must come primarily from sponsorship.

"It's a setting that attracts, you just restore it, keep it alive and preserve the dune," adds Jallouli Taieb, who oversees the restoration of the site, whose real name Ong Jmel means "neck of the camel" .

As for residents, this event is a breath of fresh air, tourism struggling as elsewhere in Tunisia, to the levels of before the revolution of January 2011.

Walid Souissi, a 29 year old engineer, "this event is new and quite different (...), it takes us out of the traditional image of camels or someone holding a Machmoum" these little bouquets jasmine characteristics of southern Tunisia.

Although the attendance of the first events is still small, welcoming, positive, reassuring authorities that rely much more meetings.

"This is the answer print and we intend to do better in future editions," says Zied Chargui, representative of the Ministry of Tourism.

Especially as other scenes of the cult series were shot in Tunisia, where eight film sites in total are scattered across the desert. The city of Tataouine in the south inspired George Lucas's name on the planet Tatooine.

caution

Among professionals, some remain cautious in anticipation of a proposed "Star Wars" that will be part of a strategy for development.

They note that Tunisia continues to live in the interim, with a fifth government in three years of political crisis and instability. This independent firm should lead the country towards elections in 2014 and finally allow the installation of permanent institutions.

"Elections are expected," said Mohamed Ali Laajmi, hotel owner Sarra Tozeur forced to close 18 other --as according it-- lack of tourists.

"We need radical solutions, more than temporary solutions. Now with those conditions, it can only remain closed. There is no solution, "he adds.

Others want to believe that the new Minister of Tourism, Amel Karboul, will give a boost to the sector. She is also eager to push for the development of a product "Star Wars" after the launch of associative initiative to save Mos Espa.

"The Minister of Tourism has made us advertise 'Ong Jmel' and we feel that little by little is better (...). Before it was like death. Now I feel that the future of tourism is more favorable, "says Mounawar Taegue, 49, owner of a shop in Tozeur.