Leni Riefenstahl

by Jürgen Trimborn

Dancer, actress, mountaineer, and director Leni Riefenstahl's uncompromising will and audacious talent for self-promotion appeared unmatched--until 1932, when she met her future patron: Adolf Hitler. Best known for two films she made for him, Triumph of the Will and Olympia, Riefenstahl's demanding and obsessive style introduced unusual angles, new approaches to tracking shots, and highly symbolic montages. Despite her lifelong claim to be an apolitical artist, Riefenstahl's monumental vision of Germany's traditions and landscape served to idealize the cause of one of the world's most violent and racist regimes. Trimborn's revelatory biography celebrates this charismatic and adventurous woman, who lived to 101, while also taking on the myths surrounding her. With refreshing distance and detailed research, Trimborn presents the story of a stubborn and intimidating filmmaker who refused to be held accountable for her role in the Holocaust but continued to inspire countless photographers