Black Diamond - 2006
"Black Diamond" is a movie that revolves around the backdrop of civil war and chaos in 1990's Sierra Leone. The story follows the journey of Danny Archer, a South African mercenary, and Solomon Vandy, a Mende fisherman, who are joined in a common quest to recover a rare pink diamond that can transform their lives. The movie portrays the struggle and challenges faced by the characters amidst the explosive civil war in Sierra Leone. It also highlights the impact of the diamond trade on the lives of the locals and the brutal realities of the African diamond trade during that time
The movie is directed by Edward Zwick and features Leonardo DiCaprio as an ex-mercenary turned smuggler and Djimon Hounsou as a Mende fisherman. The urgent and intensely moving adventure shapes gripping human stories and heart-pounding action into a modern epic of profound impact. "Black Diamond" received critical acclaim and won the 2006 award for Best Supporting Actor (Djimon Hounsou) by the National Board of Review (NBR)
The film sheds light on the brutal African diamond trade and its horrific human toll, depicting the struggles and suffering of the people in Sierra Leone during the Civil War in the 90s. It symbolically portrays the oppression, cruelty, and long suffering experienced by Sierra Leoneans and West Africans when valuable substances like diamonds were discovered in their lands
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