Diamond Fever: In the Land of the Glittering Rocks - Cecil Rhodes, Barney Barnato and De Beers

This docu-drama tells the gripping tale of two men and their battle for power and wealth. Fate would have it that 125 years ago, at the height of imperialist-colonialism, Cecil Rhodes and Barney Barnato met in the diamond mining country of South Africa to square off in a fierce duel for dominance of the industry. In the aftermath of the showdown, the ”De Beers Mining Company” emerged - a corporation which continues, even today, to dictate diamond prices world wide.

Along with extensive re-enactment sequences, the film takes an exclusive look into the huge and complex apparatus that is diamond mining. For this documentary De Beers for the first time gave permission to show the whole fascinating process: from probing and extraction, right through to putting the final polish on the precious glittering rocks.

45’ / 52’
ZDF, ARTE