FAQ for
Blood Diamond (2006)

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. It is assumed that no one who is diligently avoiding spoilers will be visiting this page in the first place.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Blood Diamond can be found at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0450259/parentalguide.

Blood Diamond is based on a script by American screenwriter Charles Leavitt, who reworked an earlier script titled Okavango. Leavitt's script was subsequently reworked by writers Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz.

"Blood diamond" refers to a diamond, typically mined in Africa, and sold in order to finance an insurgency, an invading army's war efforts, or to support a warlord's activity.

It is unknown if there was an actual attempt by the diamond industry (or anyone involved with it) to tarnish the reputation of this film. No factual evidence has been given to support either side of the argument, so it is purely speculation at this point.

He speaks Afrikaans, a language derived from Dutch and widely spoken in South Africa. For more information about Afrikaans see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikaans.

They speak in Krio, a Sierra Leone creole language based on a mixture of Nigerian and English languages. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krio_language. Archer also uses milder versions of this when speaking to other Sierra Leoneans, including when he first meets Vandy.

The Kimberley Process is an international agreement to stem the trade of conflict (blood) diamonds being sold by illegitimate rebel groups. It requires all diamonds to come with government certificates proving that the diamonds were mined in that country and are not benefiting rebel armies. The majority of diamond-producing or consuming countries (a total of 71) are members of the Kimberley Process.

RUF stands for Revolutionary United Front, a rebel group in Sierra Leone that was supported for a time by the corrupt government of Liberia. They were known for their brutality, which allowed them tactical gains against the poorly-prepared government forces. They did not appear to have any real political agenda, at first just taking advantage of popular discontent with the government, then simply using revolutionary slogans with empty meaning to justify their deeds. The RUF as a military force is gone today, having been defeated after Britain and Guinea intervened militarily in 2001, ending the Sierra Leone Civil War. A very small political party is all that remains of the RUF today. Much of the RUF actions in this movie are based on real-life reports of RUF acts, including the enlistment and drugging of child soldiers, and mass amputations of hands.