Leni Riefenstahl

German filmmaker (1902–2003)

AI overview

Leni Riefenstahl was a German filmmaker known for directing visually innovative documentaries in the 1930s and 1940s, most notably propaganda films for the Nazi regime. Her work is historically significant because it demonstrates how powerful filmmaking techniques can be used for propaganda purposes, making her a controversial and studied figure in film history and debates about art, politics, and moral responsibility.

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Person · Open Library

Born: 1902
Died: 2003
Works: 41

Top works

The people of Kau
Triumph of the Will (documentary)
Leni Riefenstahl Wunder Unter Wasser
Olympia
Africa

via Open Library + Wikidata

Music · MusicBrainz

Type: Person
Country: DE
Active from: 1902-08-22
Active to: 2003-09-08

via MusicBrainz · CC0

Listeners · Last.fm

Listeners: 125
Total plays: 309

Works in European collections

1 object attributed to Leni Riefenstahl, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana

Untitled

Article

Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl ( German: [ˈleːniː ˈʁiːfn̩ʃtaːl] ; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German filmmaker, photographer, and actress. She is considered one of the most controversial personalities in film history. Regarded by many critics as an "innovative filmmaker and creative aesthete", she is also criticized for her works in the service of propaganda during the Nazi era.

A talented swimmer and an artist, Riefenstahl became interested in dancing during her childhood, taking lessons and performing across all Europe. After seeing a promotional poster for the 1924 film Mountain of Destiny, she was inspired to move into acting and between 1925 and 1929 starred in five successful motion pictures. Riefenstahl became one of the few women in Germany to direct a film during the Weimar era when, in 1932, she decided to try directing with her own film, The Blue Light.