Riefenstahl
1945/2025: 80 Years of Accountability and Continuity

 

Germany / 2024 / 115’
In German, English with English subtitles 
Director: Andres Veiel

Andres Veiel’s gripping documentary unravels the enigma of Leni Riefenstahl, the filmmaker whose TRIUMPH OF THE WILL and OLYMPIA glorified Nazi ideals of power while dismissing the weak. Drawing from her private estate’s films, photos, letters, and recordings, Veiel probes her unapologetic legacy and denial of ties to Hitler. Riefenstahl’s aesthetics, disturbingly resonant today, spark urgent questions about art’s complicity in ideology. With haunting visuals and intimate archives, this cinematic exploration invites audiences to confront the moral complexities of her life, challenging us to reflect on memory, responsibility, and the seductive pull of imperial grandeur.