There are two schools of thought on Leni Riefenstahl--the dominant one, following Siegfried Kracauer and Susan Sontag, sees her as a committed Nazi propagandist whose "fascist aesthetic" pervades all her work; the other, assiduously promoted by Riefenstahl herself, wants to redeem her as
"pure" filmmaker, victim of circumstances, and feminist pioneer. The truth, at least as it emerges from Ray Mueller's three-hour documentary, lies somewhere in between, although Riefenstahl's egotism, studied political naivete, and relentless reinvention of history are amply on display.
Through interviews with the 91-year old director, along with well-chosen archival footage an...
Released:
1993
Rated:
NR
Length:
182 mins