Diamonds and Rust

One of the chief export products of the South African country of Namibia is diamonds. Along the entire coastline, ships owned by large corporations delve the rough diamonds from the seabed. The Spirit of Namibia is one such ship. For months on end, crewmen of various nationalities and backgrounds are stuck with each other; a microcosm of the multicultural society. But life on the rusty old diamond ship is far from harmonious. The Cuban captain has a hard time suppressing the friction between black and white, and among his officers. The black Namibian deck hands fall victim to the racism and tyranny of the white Afrikaners and the ship itself is long past its prime. The film therefore presents a bleak image of the world aboard, which sharply contrasts with the glamour of the precious stone it is based on.