"Blood Diamond"
 

Just got back from seeing Blood Diamond. A real tour de force...go see it and be prepared to be moved.
Eric

What's it about?

Hari

It is a geopolitical thriller about conflict diamonds in Africa. It stars Leonardo Dicaprio and Jennifer Connolly. Hari there is even a very brief shot of a cheetah! It did not get rave reviews here but I still think it is worth seeing. Those in the diamond business are none too happy about it. There are beautiful shots of Africa and a shot in Capetown where I have been many a time.
Eric

Thanks, Eric........will keep a look out.

a few of the stars of the movie were on Oprah last week and they had some clips from the movie...looked good.

well, <font color="red"> &quot;Blood Diamonds&quot; </font>, { also called <font color="red"> &quot;Conflict Diamonds&quot; </font>}, is not only a movie

The issue is (&quot;conflict&quot;-)diamonds are financing arms, which r used in <b>civil wars </b> around the black continent...
Liberia's diamonds, for example, r banned from being exported into western world countries (But r being smuggled...)

Africa produces 65% of world's diamonds
luckily, some favoured countries on this forum, (e.g. Botswana, Namibia) use the income to promote their citizens. Namibia invests a lot of the 'diamond-money' in its education system...

aby

Just returned from seeing the movie and thought it not only very well done and the actor who played the African was amazing. It also prompted much conversation from the 8 people we were with. Does anyone know what the situation is today with conflict diamonds? How do you know if the ones you are buying are not illegal. Diamonds go through so many hands before they get to the consumer how do you really know?

The reviews for the movie have so far been very good. Will try to get to see over the holidays.

As to &quot;conflict&quot; diamonds - a law was signed and put into effect as 2002 negating the purchase of these tainted stones. Prior to this law, about 4% of diamonds in the market were considered &quot;conflict&quot; stones; today it's less than 1%.

How one knows, still comes down to the jeweler with whom you deal. Whether diamonds or any other sparklie, you need a reputable and honest jeweler. Even the likes of Tiffany or Cartier have been know to have been swindled with - diamonds, emeralds, even Tanzanite (which rumor has that UBL has a hand in).

Buyer beware (with just about everything)!

Now I'll have to not only see this movie but cancel my Tiffany account, rats :)

I was hoping to hear your thoughts on this movie this morning - sounds like it's a late Italian dinner and 'Blood diamonds' for us today.
No better rec. than one from my Africa loving cyber friends.
Saw 'Babel' a few weeks back - very good, as well.
Thanks;
Sherry

I have a whole list of &quot;must sees&quot; including Babel (playing right around the corner). Blood Diamonds also nearby. Only thing not on my list is Apacalypto - too much violence and nobody speaks English, let alone a language anyone could understand (babel, maybe; ancient Incan?). I don't do well with violence. Skipped Brave Heart also. Sorry Mel!

Christmas Day - Here we come; we're known to spend the day in the dark, sometimes 3 pics. And then, there's New Year's Day.

Sandi,
Babel ? hebrew roots,perhaps? about the Babylon tower in genesis - end meaning; something like, a confusion of languages.
Disclamer; this is my interpretation.

Also, get to see BUSHMANS SECRETS if you can. Vert much in the vein of Blood Diamond

agree excellent movie, very well acted.

and if the reality aspect of the sierra leone civil war interests you, check out cry freetown (i think the website is www.cryfreetown.org). it is a documentary, i believe.

kerikeri

And I suppose all have seen Constant Gardener.

Also violent, but a good story, and the panoramas are amazing. The DVD has some very interesting extras, as well.

Steeljim, thanks for the info on Constant Gardener, I watched a bit of the DVD, and just couldn't follow it (Jim was in a talkative mood and was not interested in the movie!) so I took the book with me to Africa in May, read it and then re-watched the movie. The book was good, but a little slow in parts. I hadn't even thought to check the DVD for extras - I will check that out tonight.

Can't wait to see Blood Diamond, but with no time to go to movies I will have to wait for the video release.

In the meantime anyone know if there is a book - was the movie based on someone's book? I could read it in preparation for Jim to be in a talkative mood when I'm trying to watch the movie when it comes out on DVD!

Cybor

according to <u>english</u> sources
&quot;Babel is the name used in the Hebrew Bible for the city of Babylon.&quot;
but...
Hebrew uses the name 'Bavel'
changing Hebrew &quot;v&quot; into English &quot;b&quot; is quite common though
e.g. Avraham --&gt; Abraham

It's not only the conflict aspect, but the way diamonds are procurred. If anyone knows the conditions of the workers in the diamond mining industry I'd love to hear it.

Look forward to the movie, but I have trouble with Americans doing fake accents! Only a few really pull it off in my mind. I take it Leo did OK?! :-)

Here is some fresh diamond news from the exemplary Botswana:
http://www.survival-international.org/news.php?id=2112

Here’s some more diamond info:
http://www.realdiamondfacts.org/

Oldu &quot;v&quot; ai or Oldu &quot;p&quot; ai

bavel or babel

tomato or tomatoe

Swahili and Hebrew, have many similar words.