Leni Riefenstahl was one of the most revolutionary and certainly most controversial filmmakers of the early twentieth century. The lasting influence of her innovative filmmaking techniques on twentieth century cinema is undisputed by scholars throughout history, but the exact nature of her work is surrounded by ongoing controversy. Riefenstahl’s production of the feature films “Triumph of the Will” (Source 3) and “Olympia” (Source 1) have left a lasting imprint on history; these films established Riefenstahl’s influential career as a film director under the years of the Nazi regime. Although these films are attributed by scholars and critics to be Riefenstahl’s greatest achievements they are also considered to be her greatest fault, for the political connotation attached to their purpose. Before World War II, Riefenstahl was praised for her artistic achievements of these films, however the post-war years present a hostile reception to her work, as they have since been decontextualised and criticised for their questionable propagandist content. Riefenstahl’s impact on history has changed greatly overtime, as she is remembered for both her artistic contribution to the social and cultural life of Germany and pioneering of revolutionary cinematography and in contrast, her association with Hitler and the Nazi party.
Since a young age Leni has had a passion for dance and quickly became a star pupil. Riefenstahl gained a reputation on Berlin's dance circuit and she quickly moved into films. She made a series of films for Arnold Fanck, and her fame spread to countries outside of Germany. In 1932, Riefenstahl produced her own work called "The Blue Light" (Source 2) and got a very positive response. The film attracted the attention of Hitler, and is said to have believed that the image Riefenstahl created for herself in "The Blue Light" epitomised the ultimate German woman.