Leni Riefenstahl was a famous filmmaker throughout the mid-twentieth century. Her claim to fame included filming the 1936 Olympics in Berlin and one of the largest Nazi rallies for a propaganda piece called Triumph of the Will. Her work led her to become known as “Hitler’s Favorite Filmmaker” due to her controversial willingness to film these events. Riefenstahl denied being a member of the Nazi party and was found not guilty in the Nuremburg Trials for her politics. Despite the controversy around what she filmed, Riefenstahl was extremely innovative and creative with her films--becoming one of the first mainstream female directors of her time. She was the first to put a camera on a track to follow racing athletes, and, well into her 80s, was filming native African tribes and underwater scenes, continuing to be a pioneer in film and new techniques.
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