Filmmaker and Nazi propagandist Leni Riefenstahl is considered by many to be one of the most controversial women of the 20th century. Her films Triumph of the Will and Olympia are defined by their fascist aesthetics and perfectly staged body worship. But Riefenstahl – who first broke into the German film industry as an actress – spent decades after World War II denying her association with Nazi ideology and claiming ignorance of the Holocaust. 

How did she become the Reich's preeminent filmmaker if she was just a hired hand? This new film Riefenstahl examines this question using never-before-seen documents from Leni Riefenstahl's estate, including private films, photos, recordings, and letters, uncovering fragments of her biography and placing them in an extended historical context. During her long life after the fall of Nazism, she remained unapologetic, managing to control and shape her legacy; in personal documents, she mourns her "murdered ideals." Meanwhile, her work would experience a renaissance, gaining esteem for its masterful technical skill. 

Today, Riefenstahl's aesthetics are more present than ever. Is that also true for their message? In an era where fascism is on the rise again, fake news is prevalent, and the meaning of political imagery is constantly dissected and debated, Andres Veiel's mesmerizing new film shows that Leni Riefenstahl is more relevant than ever.