Leni Riefenstahl
Known for Directing · 42 credits
- Born
- 1902-08-22
- Died
- 2003-09-08
- Place of birth
- Berlin, Germany
- Also known as
- 레니 리펜슈탈 · Helene Bertha Amalia Riefenstahl · Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl
Biography
Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, actress and dancer widely noted for her aesthetics and innovations as a filmmaker. Her most famous film was Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), made at the 1934 Nuremberg congress of the Nazi Party. Riefenstahl's prominence in the Third Reich along with her personal friendship with Adolf Hitler thwarted her film career following Germany's defeat in World War II, after which she was arrested but released without any charges.
Triumph of the Will gave Riefenstahl instant and lasting international fame, as well as infamy. Although she directed only eight films, just two of which received significant coverage outside of Germany, Riefenstahl was widely known all her life. The propaganda value of her films made during the 1930s repels most modern commentators but many film histories cite the aesthetics as outstanding. The Economist wrote that Triumph of the Will "sealed her reputation as the greatest female filmmaker of the 20th century".
In the 1970s Riefenstahl published her still photography of the Nuba tribes in Sudan in several books such as The Last of the Nuba. She was active up until her death and also published marine life stills and released the marine-based film Impressionen unter Wasser in 2002.
After her death, the Associated Press described Riefenstahl as an "acclaimed pioneer of film and photographic techniques". Der Tagesspiegel newspaper in Berlin noted, "Leni Riefenstahl conquered new ground in the cinema". The BBC said her documentaries "were hailed as groundbreaking film-making, pioneering techniques involving cranes, tracking rails, and many cameras working at the same time".
Description above from the Wikipedia article Leni Riefenstahl, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
aspekte
1965
as Self
Je später der Abend
1973
as Self
FASCISM(s): A Film in Six Parts
2025
as Self (archive footage)
In the Service of the Regime. Leni Riefenstahl
2009
as Self (archive footage)
LENI
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations
1938
as Nude Dancer - Prologue (uncredited)
TV Shows (5)
Movies (37)
FASCISM(s): A Film in Six Parts
2025
as Self (archive footage)
In the Service of the Regime. Leni Riefenstahl
2009
as Self (archive footage)
LENI
2015
as Self (archive footage)
Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations
1938
as Nude Dancer - Prologue (uncredited)
The Goebbels Experiment
2005
as Self (archival footage)
The Blue Light
1932
as Junta
Riefenstahl
2024
as Self (archive footage)
The White Ecstasy
1931
as Leni
The Holy Mountain
1926
as Diotima
The Immoderation of Me - Sandra Maischberger meets Leni Riefenstahl
2002
as Self
Speer und er: Nachspiel - Die Täuschung
2005
as Herself
Hitler's Hollywood
2017
as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Churchill and the Movie Mogul
2019
as Self (archive footage)
Underwater Impressions
2002
The Wonderful Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl
1993
as Herself
From Stag Beetle to Swastika
2002
Leni Riefenstahl: Her Dream of Africa
2003
as Self
Faszination Bergfilm - Himmelhoch und Abgrundtief
2008
as Self (archive footage)
Ways to Strength and Beauty
1925
Games of the XXI Olympiad
1977
as Self - Spectator
Birth of a Nation
1997
as Self
The White Hell of Pitz Palu
1929
as Maria Maioni
City of Toys
2024
as Self (archive footage)
Storm Over Mont Blanc
1930
as Hella Armstrong
S.O.S. Iceberg
1933
as Hella Lorenz
The Run
2016
Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg
1928
as Maria Vetsera
Memories of a Summer in Berlin
1972
as herself
Lowlands
1954
as Martha
Memories of Berlin: The Twilight of Weimar Culture
1976
as Self - Interviewee
Time of Darkness and Silence
1982
as Self
The Night of the Filmmakers
1995
as Self
Les Champions d'Hitler
2016
as Self
S.O.S. Iceberg
1933
as Ellen Lawrence
Eiskalte Leidenschaft - Leni Riefenstahl und Arnold Fanck zwischen Hitler und Hollywood
2018
as Self (archive footage)
Leni Riefenstahl - The End of a Myth
2020
as Self (archive footage)
The Great Leap
1927
as Gita
About Leni Riefenstahl
Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, actress and dancer widely noted for her aesthetics and innovations as a filmmaker. Her most famous film was Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will), made at the 1934 Nuremberg congress of the Nazi Party. Riefenstahl's prominence in the Third Reich along with her personal friendship with Adolf Hitler thwarted her film career following Germany's defeat in World War II, after which she was arrested but released without any charges. Triumph of… With 42 credits spanning from 1925 to 2025, Leni Riefenstahl has appeared in 37 films and 5 TV shows.
Fans searching for Leni Riefenstahl movies, Leni Riefenstahl filmography, or the latest projects starring Leni Riefenstahl can stream many of these titles on Bowood.TV, free and in HD, with no subscription required.
Most Popular Leni Riefenstahl Movies
- FASCISM(s): A Film in Six Parts (2025) — as Self (archive footage)
- In the Service of the Regime. Leni Riefenstahl (2009) — as Self (archive footage)
- LENI (2015) — as Self (archive footage)
- Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938) — as Nude Dancer - Prologue (uncredited)
- The Goebbels Experiment (2005) — as Self (archival footage)
Where to Watch Leni Riefenstahl Films
Most Leni Riefenstahl movies and series are available to stream on Bowood.TV in full HD, completely free and without signup. Browse the complete filmography above to jump directly to any title. For more films and the latest web series featuring Leni Riefenstahl, check our movies catalogue and browse page.