Blood Diamond

Blood Diamond

Synopsis

Set against the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone, Blood Diamond is the

story of Danny Archer - an ex mercenary from Zimbabwe - and Solomon Vandy - a Mende

fisherman. Both men are African, but their histories as different as any can be, until their fates

become joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their

lives. While in prison for smuggling, Archer learns that Solomon - who was taken from his

family and forced to work in the diamond fields - has found and hidden the extraordinary

rough stone. With the help of Maddy Bowen, an American journalist whose idealism is

tempered by a deepening connection with Archer, the two men embark on a trek through

rebel territory, a journey that could save Solomon's family and give Archer the second chance

he thought he would never have.

Comment

DIAMONDS are back on the big screen. The stones serenaded by Marilyn Monroe as a girl's

best friend are now, however, portrayed by Hollywood as Africa's worst enemies. Leonardo

DiCaprio may win an Academy Award for his performance in “Blood Diamond”, as a

mercenary hunting for the precious rocks during the war in Sierra Leone in the 1990s. Today,

says Alex Yearsley of Global Witness, a pressure group, blood diamonds make up a tiny

fraction of world production. But Mr DiCaprio's on-screen antics have raised awareness of the

issue. The film's release in America, just before the crucial Christmas season, did not dent

jewellery sales. But more customers now want to know where their diamonds come from and

want a guarantee that they are clean. (The Economist, Feb 22nd 2007)

PROGRAMME NOTES:

'Blood Diamond' directed by Edwin Zwick (2007)

Excerpt from an interview with director Ed Zwick

‘Conflict diamonds’ are stones that have been smuggled out of countries at war. They then go to

pay for more arms, increasing the death toll and furthering the destruction of the region. They

may be a...