Diamonds from Guinea [2019]

⁣Diamonds from Guinea - Documentary of Patrick Voillot

This film takes you on a dangerous and perilous adventure, penetrating a region Conakry,⁣ Guinea which is on the borders of Liberia and Sierra Leone.This region, frequently traversed by armed militia, is extremely rich in diamonds of great value since sixty percent of them can be utilized in jewelry.The diamonds are extracted in an artisanal fashion near a town called Banankoro, where the religious fervour of its inhabitants is equaled only by their passion for diamonds and its trade.You will see the bitter transactions between the miners and their bosses referred to in this country as « mastar ».You will follow the collectors on their dangerous route taking the precious stones to Conakry.You will participate in the tough negotiations between the transporters and the merchants of the capital city. All this takes place in a tense atmosphere under heavy armed protection, when thousands of carats will pass before your eyes.The final destination of these diamonds is Antwerp. You will get a rare chance to see the “Rainbow Collection” belonging to Eddy Elsas, consisting of dozens of coloured diamonds.Then in London you will learn the secrets of the De Beers building, one of the best protected places in the world, through which transits more than half of the world’s production of diamonds.The jeweler Mouawad will let you into his world to show you his famous diamonds whose prices defy belief - several million dollars – and in particular a handbag fully inlaid with white and pink diamonds, unique in the world.