Key Events in Leni Riefenstahl’s life

Outline the key events in Leni Riefenstahl’s life.

Leni Riefenstahl is a controversial artist from the 20th Century who has been accused of being a fascist due to her association with Adolf Hitler as she was the only female in Hitler's circle. Leni Riefenstahl was determined and assertive; these intrinsic qualities sealed her reputation “as the greatest female filmmaker of the 20th Century”.

Leni Riefenstahl was born Helene Riefenstahl to a middle class family which enabled Leni to be shielded from the turmoil of the first world war and its aftermath. Leni’s passion for dancing was hidden from her father although her love for the sport enabled her to establish a career in 1921. She undertook expressive dancing during the expressionist movement which was prominent during the Weimar Republic. The expressionist movement enabled Leni and many others to convey their emotions through creative arts after years of harsh, autocratic government control. As a central key to emotional expression dance was also used to emphasize the physical form and ‘'glorification of the human body as part of the culture at that time'. Leni's image as a famous European Soloist dancer concluded due to a bad knee injury in 1925.

Arnold Fanck had a major influence on Leni. Her role as an actor occurred because of her spectation of ‘'The Mountain of Destiny' a movie from the mountain genre directed in 1924 by Fanck. Due to her charm, beauty and talent Leni appeared in 6 of Fanck's films often enduring physical obstacles. Leni demonstrated courage and determination whilst an actor. Completing and excelling at mountain climbing a sport often dominated by men. Whilst an actor Leni spent time with her mentor Fanck learning the process of editing, developing and printing film. These lessons built the foundation of her film making style. Her philosophy ‘'that film should be about movement no about capturing static images' emphasized her innovative thinking. That coupled with her dedication and perfectionist qualities defined her as brilliant filmmaker.

Leni earned national acclaim with 'The Blue Light' which she wrote, produced, directed, edited and starred in. The Blue Light is a fairytale set against the mountain backgrounds and as displayed innovative film technology dreamt up by Leni herself. As Leni was wholly engrossed in her film she did not feel the tensions of the political movement. She was convinced by her friend to go and see the Nazi Party rally at Sportsplatz and was fascinated by the charismatic Hitler. Leni left Germany to star in S.O.S Eiseberg. Upon Leni's arrival she was shocked to hear about the Night of Broken Glass as she was wholly engrossed in her film she did not feel the tensions of the political movement.

Leni moved in high government circles yet she had a tense relationship with Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Goebbels found it hard that a woman was able to excel in film. Leni's career as film-maker of the Third Reich began with the Victory of Faith in 1933 which had huge propaganda value. Leni complained that it was a more of a newsreel as she had little time to prepare and faced barriers in the form of government officials.

Leni's greatest and most infamous work 'Triumph of the Will' promoted the image of Hitler as the new leader. The film demonstrated a bond between Fuher and his people, it created and promoted order, balance and stability. This movie earned Leni the German Film Prize, a Gold Medal in Venice and the Grand Prix at Paris. It was also the film that would be thein the future the demise to her career as a film-maker.

Olympia focused on the 1936 Berlin Olympics and Leni was later criticized for supposedly promoting fascist idealism. Leni was pressured by Goebbels to promote Nazi view but she refused continuing to feature black athletes. Leni achieved her aim at being objective and presented a high quality film.

Leni was criticized that her films supported Hitler and consequently people believed that Leni herself was a fascist. Thus after the end of World War Two Leni was de-nazified, a process that left her depressed and living with her mother. Leni reinvented herself and started a new career in photography. The main focus of her photographs are the tribes of Africa and underwater photography. Leni died at the age of 101, a true pioneer of film.