National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Lucasfilm's Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace arrived in May 1999 after sixteen years without a theatrical Star Wars release. Directed by George Lucas, it introduced a new generation to the saga while reuniting longtime fans with a familiar universe. Shot on 35mm alongside early digital photography tests, the film marked a transitional moment in blockbuster filmmaking and remains a significant cultural artifact of late-twentieth-century cinema.

This three-frame cell, titled Qui-Gon Jinn by the operator, captures Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi across a single continuous shot. Obi-Wan appears in Jedi robes within a warmly lit interior setting, the sequence unfolding steadily across all three frames. It is a quiet, character-centered piece of original 35mm film from one of cinema's most recognized franchises.