Ouarzazate, the Hollywood of Africa: Tracing the Great Films Shot in Morocco
At the gateway to the desert, between the High Atlas mountains and the arid landscapes of southern Morocco, Ouarzazate has a unique identity.
The city is known as one of the main gateways to Morocco's presaharan valleys, kasbahs and landscapes. But for several decades, it has also established itself as one of the great film centres of the African continent.
Studios, monumental sets, earthen kasbahs, traditional villages and desert landscapes have attracted international productions from all over the world.
Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, The Mummy, Prince of Persia and many other productions have used Ouarzazate or its region as filming locations.
This long history with the seventh art has earned it several nicknames, including "Hollywood of Morocco," "Hollywood of Africa," and sometimes "Ouarzawood."
But Ouarzazate's cinematic success does not rest on its studios alone.
It also rests on something no artificial set can fully reproduce: the landscapes and architectural heritage of southern Morocco.
Why Do Filmmakers Come to Shoot in Ouarzazate?
The Ouarzazate region has a diversity of landscapes particularly well suited to cinema.
Within a few dozen kilometres, film crews can find:
- mountains;
- desert plateaus;
- valleys;
- palm groves;
- earthen kasbahs;
- fortified ksour;
- traditional villages;
- vast, almost uninhabited expanses.
This diversity allows the region to represent very different territories on screen.
Depending on a production's needs, southern Morocco can become an ancient city, a medieval village, a biblical territory, a Middle Eastern fortress, or even an entirely imaginary world.
Added to this are a favourable climate, light sought after by image professionals, and several decades of experience hosting international productions.
The Moroccan Cinematographic Centre notably highlights the presence in Ouarzazate of several specialised filming infrastructures.
Over time, an entire local economy tied to cinema has developed around technicians, craftsmen, set builders, extras, drivers, stunt performers and production companies.
Atlas Studios: At the Heart of Ouarzazate's Cinema
Among the most iconic sites of this industry are the famous Atlas Studios, located near Ouarzazate.
Created in the 1980s, they have become one of the symbols of the region's cinematic identity.
The site brings together numerous sets built for different productions: temples, palaces, villages, monumental squares, fortifications and architecture inspired by different historical periods.
Walking through the studios, it is possible to move from one world to another within a few minutes.
From Ancient Palaces to Medieval Cities
Some sets evoke ancient Egypt.
Others represent temples, palaces, fortified villages or great historic cities.
This capacity for transformation explains why Ouarzazate is particularly sought after for historical, biblical, fantasy and epic films.
Sets are sometimes preserved after filming, then adapted or transformed for new productions.
Visiting the studios thus offers a chance to discover an unusual facet of Ouarzazate's contemporary heritage: a heritage built for cinema.
Gladiator and Ouarzazate
It is impossible to talk about cinema in Ouarzazate without mentioning Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott and released in 2000.
Part of the filming took place in Morocco, notably in the Ouarzazate region.
The landscapes of southern Morocco perfectly matched the ancient world sought for certain sequences of the film.
The worldwide success of Gladiator also helped strengthen Ouarzazate's international image as a preferred destination for major historical productions.
Ridley Scott is, moreover, one of the international directors most closely associated with the recent history of filming in Morocco.
Kingdom of Heaven: Morocco Transformed into the Middle Ages
A few years after Gladiator, Ridley Scott returned to Morocco to film part of Kingdom of Heaven, released in 2005.
This historical epic devoted to the era of the Crusades required vast fortifications, monumental gates and landscapes capable of evoking the medieval Middle East.
The Ouarzazate region offered precisely this combination.
Monumental sets were built for the needs of the production.
Some still allow visitors today to understand the scale of work required even before actors step in front of the cameras.
Carpenters, masons, painters, sculptors, craftsmen, costume designers and builders all take part in creating these cinematic worlds.
The Mummy, Prince of Persia and Other Major Productions
The list of international productions associated with Ouarzazate and southern Morocco is particularly long.
Among the titles frequently associated with this cinematic history are:
- Gladiator
- Kingdom of Heaven
- The Mummy
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Kundun
- Asterix & Obelix: Mission Cleopatra
These films belong to very different worlds.
Yet they all found in the region the landscapes, infrastructure or sets needed for some of their scenes.
This is one of Ouarzazate's fascinating particularities: the same territory can represent several eras and civilisations on screen.
Aït Ben Haddou: When Heritage Becomes a Film Set
About 30 kilometres from Ouarzazate lies one of Morocco's most famous heritage sites: the Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou.
Unlike sets built specifically for the studios, Aït Ben Haddou is a genuine historic architectural ensemble.
The ksar consists of earthen buildings grouped within a defensive enclosure reinforced by corner towers.
It represents a remarkable example of the traditional presaharan architecture of southern Morocco.
The Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou has been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1987.
Its importance therefore extends far beyond its role in film history.
An Exceptional Natural Backdrop
With its earthen buildings, decorated towers, narrow streets and the arid landscape surrounding it, Aït Ben Haddou has an instantly recognisable silhouette.
Filmmakers quickly grasped its visual potential.
The ksar and its surroundings have thus been used as a setting for various international productions.
But when visiting Aït Ben Haddou, it is important not to view the site solely as a film set.
Cinema belongs to its recent history. Its architectural heritage is far older.
It is precisely this meeting of real heritage and cinematic fiction that makes the place exceptional.
To better understand its history, its earthen architecture and its heritage significance, discover our complete guide to the Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou.
Game of Thrones and Aït Ben Haddou
The region's cinematic influence is not limited to feature films.
The series Game of Thrones also used several locations in Morocco.
Aït Ben Haddou notably appears in the series to represent Yunkai, one of the cities encountered by Daenerys Targaryen.
The ksar's monumental earthen architecture perfectly matches the aesthetic sought for the series' cities.
For Game of Thrones fans, visiting Aït Ben Haddou therefore offers a particular experience: discovering a genuine Moroccan heritage monument behind the fiction.
Cinema in Ouarzazate Existed Before the Major Studios
The region's cinematic history predates today's large studio complexes.
Long before their development, the landscapes of southern Morocco were already attracting foreign filmmakers.
Morocco notably hosted the filming of major international productions during the 20th century.
The gradual creation of specialised infrastructure then allowed Ouarzazate to move from being a simple filming location to a genuine film production centre.
This evolution explains why the city holds a particular place in Morocco's film history today.
Cinema Has Transformed the Local Economy
Major international productions do not come with actors and directors alone.
A large production can mobilise a great number of professionals.
Over the decades, residents of Ouarzazate and nearby villages have worked as:
- extras;
- craftsmen;
- set builders;
- technicians;
- drivers;
- translators;
- stunt performers;
- costume designers;
- production assistants.
Some craftsmen use techniques close to those employed in traditional architecture to create sets for cinema.
Carved wood, plaster, paint, earth, textile and metal can thus help create, within a few weeks, palaces or cities that sometimes appear centuries old.
Cinema has therefore become an important component of Ouarzazate's contemporary economic and cultural identity.
Real Heritage and Film Sets
One of the most interesting experiences in Ouarzazate is comparing genuine monuments with sets built for cinema.
At first glance, some constructions may seem similar.
But their function is completely different.
A historic kasbah or ksar is the result of a social, family and architectural history.
A film set is designed above all to be seen by a camera.
This difference also makes it possible to better appreciate the skill of set designers.
Some buildings that look impressive on screen sometimes consist of nothing more than a facade supported by a modern structure.
A few kilometres away, genuine earthen constructions instead bear witness to several generations of architectural know-how.
What to See in Ouarzazate Around Cinema
To discover the region's cinematic identity, several stops can be combined.
Atlas Studios
The Atlas Studios offer a chance to discover different sets used or transformed over the course of productions.
The visit will particularly interest film enthusiasts, but also travellers curious to understand how great historical epics are created.
Aït Ben Haddou
The Ksar of Aït Ben Haddou is an unmissable stop.
It allows visitors to discover, at the same time, the traditional architecture of southern Morocco and one of the most famous landscapes in films shot in Morocco.
The Landscapes Around Ouarzazate
The road between Ouarzazate, Aït Ben Haddou and the surrounding valleys also helps explain why so many filmmakers choose this region.
The landscapes change rapidly: mountains, valleys, desert plateaus, oases and earthen villages follow one another.
Even without knowing the films shot here, the territory's cinematic potential quickly becomes evident.
Ouarzazate: Far More Than a Film Set
Reducing Ouarzazate to its nickname of Hollywood of Africa would nonetheless be a mistake.
Cinema is an important part of its contemporary identity, but the region also has a much older architectural and cultural heritage.
Kasbahs, ksour, earthen villages and caravan routes bear witness to several centuries of history in this area between the High Atlas and the presaharan expanses.
Aït Ben Haddou is one of its most famous examples.
International cinema did not create Ouarzazate's beauty.
It discovered it, used it as a backdrop, and helped make it known around the world.
Planning a Visit to Ouarzazate
A visit to the region can easily combine cinema, architecture and heritage.
A day might, for example, begin with a visit to the studios before continuing on to Aït Ben Haddou and the landscapes of the Ounila valley.
For travellers interested in the history and architecture of southern Morocco, it is best to allow enough time to visit the monuments independently of their cinematic history.
Also discover Aït Ben Haddou and its traditional architecture.
Sources and References
Continue Discovering Morocco
Ouarzazate perfectly shows how Moroccan heritage can engage in dialogue with contemporary cinema.
From the genuine earthen walls of Aït Ben Haddou to the monumental sets built for international productions, the region offers a journey between history and fiction.
To continue your exploration, discover our travel guides and inspiration on MoroccoMuseum.
