Does this design have a good usability?

One of the most import things in usability design is visibility (Donald Norman). In your design, the user will not know his/her action until they actually click on the selected row. If you do want to keep this design, perhaps, fill in the the column with a short tip like 'Click for more actions' or something to that effect will be advisable.

For me it would make more sense to have these options in a separate screen, after the files have been selected, rather than having large areas of blank screen estate.

I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.