Port Nolloth: Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Port Nolloth is a small town on the west coast of South Africa, tucked away in an inhospitable landscape. Back when there was diamond fever there, the town was buzzing with life - masses of fortune hunters descended on the area, hoping to strike it rich. Now, the fever has passed and many dreams have remained unfulfilled. Most of the mines are shut down and climate change means the sea is often too rough for the diamond divers to go out. In this film, three men talk about the history of the diamond trade. Nick is the richest man in town: he owns most of the buildings, as well as 160,000 acres of cattle pasture. He got rich on the diamond trade, but now he has a very different problem, because it hasn't rained for 18 months and that could spell disaster for his herds. Derrick was once caught trading illegally, but he's going straight now and is happy driving his unlicensed cab. Geoff has been working for decades as a diamond diver. Even though he earns almost nothing from the diamonds, he still gets the fever every time he's on the seabed, searching for the gemstones.