Star Wars is a franchise that is widely recognized for bringing us fascinating unearthly environments, taking audiences to unexplored planets and breathtaking scenery.
In a recent visit to Fuerteventura, Canary Islands, Spain I thought the moment would be ideal to try and find the location where Solo: A Star Wars Story was shot, roughly one year ago. The last part of the movie takes place in this mysterious planet: Savareen. A land of dunes by the sea, where the story unfolds and various characters show their true colors, with some surprising revelations for the fans.
Lucasfilm’s film commission shot the exterior scenes of the planet on the island between May and June 2017, with the participation of 250 crew members and over 300 extras. The chosen location was that of the golden sands of Cañada de la Barca, in Jandia Natural Park, right by the cliffs that separate it from the Atlantic Ocean. A 4×4 vehicle is required and some areas are restricted to the public, therefore, it’s not easy to get there without knowing exactly where the movie was shot. I conversed with a number of people who participated directly or indirectly in the production and they confirmed the secrecy that surrounded it all, and which continues to this day. The Spanish companies and persons involved in the production had to sign a confidentiality agreement committing not to disclose the whereabouts of the set.
I found out right away that the exact location that some newspapers had detailed as the correct one was in fact erroneous. According to the driver who first brought the film commission to the area for checking if it’s was suitable, some wrong locations were given to the press on purpose, as a distraction to avoid it was discovered.
From the information I received from several people I figured out the exact location. It took me a while to find it as there are no roads or indications. With the help of a navigator and the risk of getting stuck in the dunes –even in a 4×4 vehicle- I ended up finding it. This is an area of mobile dunes, therefore their shape has slightly changed compared to last year. One of the reasons is the wind that always blows on this west coast of the island, which is very strong during some months of the year. As a matter of fact, the very name of the island means “strong wind” in old Spanish, and it’s a traditional windsurf destination. You can actually see the wind blowing in the scenes shot here. The other factor that has a particularly special effect on the dunes is winter rainfall. Some dunes solidify and get covered with occasional bushes, while others don’t. In any case, there is something that doesn’t change: the cliffs and rocks along the coastline, as well as the mountains in the background.
The whole area is gorgeous. There is complete silence except for the wind whistling through the sand. In the time I spent there, I didn’t see a soul, except for and a couple of goats and squirrels. I was also unable to find any prop. According to my sources, one of the conditions the local Government imposed due to the Natural Park category of this area was that they needed to take away every single prop and leave it exactly as it was when they found it. And apparently, they did.
I matched the few movie screenshots that are currently available on the internet, as you can see in the pictures. The main area where the native settlement was built is where most scenes were filmed. But there are also two other nearby locations that I found particularly interesting: The flat rocky area where Beckett (Woody Harrelson) and Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) conferenced. The stones they used to hold in place the big pointy rocks with hooks on them, are still there. And the exact cliff where Dryden Vos’s ship (“First Light”) landed.
It was getting dark and I had to get out of the park as quickly as possible, not to get lost. But this first contact was really enjoyable. I hope I can visit it again soon to match more exact locations and map it entirely.
The island of Fuerteventura – as well as the rest of the Canary Islands – is well known for its beautiful beaches and transparent waters in a permanent summer. But from now it will also hold a special place in the collective imagination of Star Wars fans all around the world, as the distant planet of Savareen, in the Outer Rim.