A celebrated filmmaker and a Nazi propagandist, Leni Riefenstahl remains one of the most controversial figures of the 20th century. Best known for Triumph of the Will and Olympia, her films glorified the rise of the Third Reich, even as she spent decades denying close ties to the Nazi regime while staunchly defending her artistic legacy. Drawing from Riefenstahl’s personal archive –  private films, photographs, recordings, and letters – this definitive documentary offers a nuanced and critical examination of her life, work, and enduring impact.

Reviews

‘Riefenstahl does not come to praise or reclaim the late director, but nor does it mean to bury her. It acknowledges her as a trailblazer… But the film also demonstrates the ways in which her work is inextricably linked to nazism’
★★★★★
Xan Brooks, The Guardian

‘With his new documentary “Riefenstahl,” Andres Veiel absolutely sets out to offer a different perspective: Glorify her at your peril.’
★★★★
Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire