Legendary Documentary Filmmaker

1. Legendary Documentary Filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl

2. Leni Riefenstahl: Celebrated and Condemned

3. Art: the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects; works so produced Artist: a skilled performer; especially one who professes and practices an imaginative art “I can simply say that I feel spontaneously attracted by everything that is beautiful…beauty, harmony…Whatever is purely realistic…average…doesn’t interest me… I am fascinated by what is beautiful, strong, healthy, what is living…” Leni Riefenstahl

4. DancerActressWriterDiverPhotographerAthleteProducerArtistDirectorDancerActressWriterDiverPhotographerAthleteProducerArtistDirector

5. Leni Riefenstahl is widely regarded as one of the greatest figures in modern cinematography for her pioneering, masterful and innovative documentaries. Time magazine lists Leni as one of the 100 most important artists of the 20th Century…and the only woman.

6. Leni is also one of the most controversial figures of the 20th Century, but even her strongest critics unanimously agree on her talent and impact to the world of cinematography.

7. “Triumph of the Will and Olympia are undoubtedly superb films…the two greatest documentaries ever made.” Susan Sontag“…one of the supreme artists of the cinema, the greatest woman film maker ever…she may have compromised her humanity. But her artistic integrity never.” John Simon

8. Leni Riefenstahl’s extraordinary life was overshadowed by powerful associations, contradictions, morality, personal ethics and blind ambitions.

9. “Sag mir, wer deine Freunde sind, und ich sage dir, wer du bist.” Refine by Tag: Leni Riefenstahl adolf hitler audiobookscoral reef biologydocumentary filmsforeign filmsgerman motion picturesgerman propagandagermanyleni riefenstahlmotion picture producers and directorsmotion picturesnational socialismnational socialism and womennationalsozialistische deutsche arbeiter parteinationalsozialistische deutsche arbeiter partei de reichsparteitagnubaolympic gamesolympicspropaganda filmswomen motion picture producers and directors

10. Leni Riefenstahl never joined the NSDAP (National Socialist German Workers’ Party – She was not a NAZI.

11. In her memoirs, Leni recalls meeting Adolf Hitler as a “fateful” encounter. • Berlin Sports Palace, February 1932 – “I heard his voice…that very same instant I had an almost apocalyptic vision…I felt quite paralyzed…I was fascinated, and I sensed that the audience were in bondage to this man…I was deeply affected.” • Leni wrote to Hitler in May 1932 – “I must confess that I was so impressed by you…I would like to meet you personally.”

12. Fate, Chance or Determination? • “The most beautiful thing I have ever seen in film was Riefenstahl’s dance on the sea in The Holy Mountain.” • “Once we come to power, you must make my films.” • Adolf Hitler as quoted in A Memoir. “Tanz an das Meer” from Der Heilige Berg.

13. “I was a dancer with heart and soul. As an actress my desires remained unfulfilled.”Leni Riefenstahl

14. Mal den Teufel nicht an die Wand! Can art ever be independent from its context or political views?

15. Triumph of the Will1935

18. Leni Riefenstahl qualified to compete for Germany as a skier during the 1936 Olympics, but instead chose to document the event.

19. OLYMPIA1938

20. “Special Film Troop Riefenstahl” September 10, 1939Konskie, Poland

21. “I did not see one dead person in Poland, not one soldier, not one civilian.”Leni Riefenstahl Polish Jews at the town marketplace being forced to dig graves for dead German soldiers – some with their bare hands.

22. Witnessing the murder of Polish Jews in Konskie.September 12, 1939

23. “With indescribable joy, deep emotion, and filled with profound gratitude, we share with you, my Fuhrer, your and Germany’s greatest victory, the entry of Germany troops into Paris. Surpassing all other powers of the human imagination, you are accomplishing deeds without equal in the history of mankind. How shall we be able to thank you? Offering my congratulations does far too little to convey to you the emotions that I am feeling.” Telegram to Hitler after conquering Paris, June 14, 1940.

24. Gypsy extras for the movie Tiefland came from “internment camps” and commissioned by Leni Riefenstahl.

25. Leni was found “not in violation of the law” on April 21, 1952 in Berlin. • From 1948 to 1952, Leni Riefenstahl was imprisoned and investigated for war crimes. • She had to undergo “denazification” proceedings on four separate war tribunals. • First by the Americans, then twice by the French and finally by the Germans. • Three verdicts of “not in violation of the law”and one ruling of “follower.”

26. “What am I guilty of? I can and do regret making the film of the 1934 Party Congress, ‘Triumph of the Will.’ …I can’t regret that I was alive in that period, but no words of anti-Semitism ever passed my lips, nor did I write any. I was never anti-Semitic and I never joined the Nazi party. So what am I guilty of?..I didn’t drop any atom bombs. I didn’t denounce anyone. So where does my guilt lie?”Leni as quoted in the documentary “The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl,” 1994.

27. At age 71, Leni learned to dive and spent the next 30 years filming and photographing under sea – almost symbolically retreating from the world.

28. Impressionen unter Wasser, a documentary of life in the oceans, was released on her 100th birthday, August 22, 2002. This was Leni’s last film.

30. Leni Riefenstahl (Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl)Born August 22, 1902 - Berlin, GermanyDied September 8, 2003 - Pocking, GermanyAge 101