For the Nazi propagandist filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, ‘Fate smiled on her in the person of Adolf Hitler, and she smiled back’. Hitler had become enamored of a film Riefenstahl hade made, starring herself. Riefenstahl became “fascinated” after hearing the Fuhrer speak at a rally. A warped mutual admiration society was born.
Rivertown Film brings the documentary, “Riefenstahl” to the Nyack Center (South Broadway at Depew Avenue, entrance on South Broadway) on Wednesday, November 5th. Leni Riefenstahl is best known as the director of the propaganda film “Triumph of the Will”, and she directed a spate of other state-sponsored movies at Hitler’s behest. After World War II, she tried to rewrite her history, proclaiming that she was simply an artist and should therefore be blameless for trying to promote National Socialism. “Riefenstahl”’s director, Andres Veiel, zeroes in on the filmmaker’s post-war campaign to clean up her reputation, at the same time as her name was emblazoned on many propaganda films. Riefenstahl’s messy life is revealed in shrewdly edited archival interviews. She hid behind her “art” while her films served Hitler both at home and abroad. In the end, the only way to swoon over her technical prowess, camera moves, lionizing images of Hitler and nicely shot swastikas is to feign ignorance of the horrors that were already unfolding in Germany and would soon engulf the world. The film includes footage that’s never been seen before, as Veiel was granted full access to Riefenstahl’s films, letters, photographs and recordings. Viewers will discover an eerie resemblance to the way in which society’s evil hides behind todays online platforms.
Nyack resident and filmmaker Ellen Kuras, whose film “Lee” was screened at Rivertown this past March, is scheduled to lead a post-film discussion, her schedule permitting.
The film begins at 8pm and doors open at 7:30pm. Tickets are $13/General Admission, $11/Students & Seniors, and $9/Rivertown Film Members.
More information can be found at rivertownfilm.org.
