Columbite Tantalite: a short film by Chiwetel Ejiofor

Chiwetel Ejiofor is a remarkable actor, and a sure-fire Academy Award winner, for his historically-unprecedented acting in 12 Years a Slave. But I did not know that he also writes and directs.  In this, a short film about coltan and the developed world's need for the mineral resources of the developing world, he shows both an understanding of how an artist perceives the issues as well as how an artist can make these issues accessible in a way that we academics cannot.  It is 12 minutes long; watch it.

a short, recent history of Congo

More from The Economist's excellent videographics: in 5 minutes anyone can understand why the world's worst war since World War II in the Congo is ultimately about the control of resources for our cellphones.