Riefenstahl
A gripping exploration of Leni Riefenstahl’s artistic legacy and moral ambiguity.
This film delves into the artistic legacy and complex moral standing of Leni Riefenstahl, one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. With unprecedented access to 700 boxes of her personal estate, opened for the first time, the documentary contrasts her self-portrayal as an apolitical visionary with evidence suggesting a deeper awareness of the Nazi regime’s atrocities.
Famous for “Triumph of the Will”, Riefenstahl lived to the age of 101, spending decades denying her ties to Nazi ideology. The film asks: Was she a visionary, a manipulator, or simply a liar? Through never-before-seen insights, the film explores her struggle to redefine her legacy, offering a fascinating and intimate portrait of the woman behind the camera.
Andres Veiel (1959) is a German writer and director. He is interested in Germany’s recent history, its social and political fabric, which he approaches through close encounters with individual people and intense research which sometimes lasts several years. He studied psychology in Berlin (1985-1989) while also training in film dramaturgy and directing by the Polish director Krzystof Kieslowski. He also writes and directs stage plays. His 1993 documentary “Balagan” won the Peace Film Prize at Berlinale and the German Film Award. The highly acclaimed “Black Box Germany” (2001) won him the German Film Award for Best Documentary in 2002 and the European Film Award. His first feature film “If Not Us, Who?” (2011) premiered at Berlinale winning the Alfred Bauer Prize and went on to win several other awards at different festivals.
Balagan (1994, doc), Die Überlebenden (1996, doc), Black Box BRD (2001, doc), Die Spielwütigen (Näitlemisele pühendunud, PÖFF 2004, doc), Wer wenn nicht wir (If Not Us, Who?, 2011), Beuys (PÖFF 2017, doc), Riefenstahl (2024, doc)