Blood Diamonds: The True Story (2006)

Blood Diamonds looks to some of the world’s foremost experts for the facts of the history of the diamond trade, and goes to the heart of the matter, interviewing both the victims and perpetrators of diamond-fueled atrocities in countries like Sierra Leone. One such victim is Usman Conteh. Captured by rebels in Sierra Leone’s Kono district, Usman was forced to mine diamonds for rebels – diamonds the rebels then sold or traded for arms. After months in captivity, Usman escaped only to find rebels had murdered his family.

This documentary explores the factors that led to the violence, tells the vivid details of the suffering, and speaks with the organizations that eventually exposed the link between diamonds and several brutal African conflicts. Blood Diamonds also looks at the steps eventually taken by advocacy organizations and the diamond industry to combat the problem.