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Diamonds and Rust – The Spirit of Namibia

Adi Barash
Ruthie Shatz
2000 Israel 75 minutes English; Spanish

Off the coast of Namibia, the rust-ridden, diamond-mining ship The Spirit of Namibia cruises the area controlled by the De Beers syndicate. Waiting for their overdue leave, the oddly assorted crew put up with breakdowns, crises, suspicion, tensions and solitude. The film follows the daily life of six members from South Africa, Namibia, Cuba and Israel. This observation of the crew’s living conditions and different mentalities-particularly racial discrimination’uncovers an isolated microcosm, where rank is all important and work is hard’ particularly for the Namibians. A world of contrasts is revealed between these tiny priceless diamonds and the pittance earned by the sailors.

Production :
Fig Films
Distribution :
Deckert Distribution; First Run Features
Editing :
Ruthie Shatz
Sound :
Ruthie Shatz
Photography :
Adi Barash

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