Riefenstahl

synopsis

Seven hundred boxes containing more than a hundred thousand personal photographs, film footage, audio recordings, and letters. German documentary filmmaker Andres Veiel and his colleagues spent eight years in the archives of Leni Riefenstahl, a key creator of the audiovisual cult of the Nazi Third Reich. However, he does not use the rich incriminating material to build a court case, but rather an ominously silent, mosaic-like portrait of an explosive, narcissistic manipulator who managed to convince herself of her own ignorance and innocence. Veiel's film flows slowly, like a methodically consistent leafing through the ominous diary of a divided life – torn between belief in Aryan superiority, anxiously hidden war trauma, and the ultimate triumph of her own lies. “Riefenstahl’s aesthetics can be seen in the present. It’s really disturbing, how strong and how deep her impact and influence are, even today. People may not think about her, but her aesthetics is an archetype; it’s part of the film language.” — Andres Veiel

biography

Andres Veiel (born 1959) is a renowned German documentary filmmaker, author of films such as The Kick, Balagan, and Addicted to Acting. His lifelong theme is the contradictory history of his country, especially its various social and political contexts. He studied psychology in Berlin and attended film seminars led by Krzysztof Kieslowski. His work is characterized by an empathetic approach, sensitively conducted interviews, and an effort to understand his often very problematic protagonists without manipulating the audience's perception.

film details

director:	Andres Veiel
script:	Sandra Maischberger