Nothing Lasts Forever: NZIFF Review

Don't be surprised if you leave a screening of director Jason Kohn's Nothing Lasts Forever looking at that diamond on your finger and wondering if it is the real thing.

Throwing a spotlight on the synthetic diamond business and revealing how so many of us have been sold the illusion of a diamond, Kohn's delve into the secret world of diamonds is a compelling and tautly told tale.

"We're in the period of misinformation" one talking head exclaims at one point, and based on the evidence presented, it's hard not to believe that. A story that looks at the growth of diamonds in labs by the world's biggest diamond producer DeBeers, the expose looks more at how years of slick advertising, years of consumer jealousies and years of industry greed have all collided in a perfect storm.

It's not really aimed at getting answers to the issues within - and not once does there appear to be comment from anyone in DeBeers' diamond cartel about the questions raised, but Kohn's doco certainly does enough to ensure the sparkle has gone from the rocks.

Every single talking head involved is a lively addition to proceedings, and certainly designer Aja Raden throws more than enough bombs into proceedings to have left Kohn grinning behind the camera.

Slickly produced though with a whimper of an end than a major revelation, Nothing Lasts Forever: makes for solid viewing throughout its brief run time.

But if anything, Nothing Lasts Forever takes the sheen off an industry, but one can't help but wonder whether anything will remotely change by the truth bombs contained within. Diamonds will still be forever for many, but the taint of them may now just be beginning to be seen.