Riefenstahl Trailer Explores the Paradoxes of the Nazi Propagandist Director

      As fascism emerges once again in the United States and elsewhere, it becomes increasingly crucial to reflect on our dreadful history. Directed by Andres Veiel, the film "Riefenstahl" makes use of previously unseen materials from the personal archive of filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl—including private films, photographs, audio recordings, and letters—that challenge the post-war narrative she carefully constructed. This work aims to reassess her legacy and its relevance in today's world. A trailer has just been released ahead of its release by Kino Lorber on September 5.

      The synopsis reads: “Leni Riefenstahl, a filmmaker and Nazi propagandist, is deemed one of the most contentious women of the 20th century. Her films, Triumph of the Will and Olympia, are characterized by their fascist aesthetics, intricately staged body worship, and the glorification of what is 'superior' and triumphant, while also displaying disdain for the imperfect and vulnerable. However, Riefenstahl—who initially entered the German film industry as an actress—spent many years after the war distancing herself from Nazi ideology and professing ignorance of the Holocaust. If she was merely a hired hand, how did she become the leading filmmaker for the Reich? "Riefenstahl" seeks to answer this question by utilizing never-before-seen documents from her estate, which include private films, photographs, audio recordings, and letters, revealing aspects of her biography and placing them within a broader historical framework. Throughout her long life after Nazism's downfall, she remained unrepentant, successfully controlling and shaping her legacy; in her personal writings, she laments her 'murdered ideals.' Meanwhile, her work experienced a revival, receiving recognition for its exceptional technical prowess. Today, Riefenstahl's aesthetics are more relevant than ever. Does this hold true for her message as well? In a time when fascism resurfaces, fake news abounds, and the significance of political imagery is continually analyzed and debated, Andres Veiel's captivating new film demonstrates that Leni Riefenstahl is more pertinent than ever.”

      Watch the trailer below.