Leni Riefenstahl - Hsc Question Response
Describe the life of the personality you have studied. (10 Marks)
From the very beginning, Leni Riefenstahl was a strong willed, determined and dedicated person. Her life was very complicated and interesting and can be described through many key events. These key events include her childhood, de-nazification and her various careers as a dancer, actress, film director/maker and photographer.
Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin, 1902, in a strict family. She became very close with her mother Bertha, but her relationship with her father Alfred, was often strained. Throughout her teen years, Leni became a great skater, gymnast and swimmer due to her artistic talent.
Following her childhood, Leni Riefenstahl became a brilliant dancer in the 1920s, during the time of the Weimar Republic. There was a free attmosphere at this time where many oppurtinities were available. Leni used this time wisely and took advantage of the careers she was intereted in. Also, her great, physical body (cult of the body) promoted her dancing career. She was an expressionistic dancer who was open to experimentation and improvisation. However, due to a knee injury during her career, she was unable to continue and left dancing for good.
On her way to the doctors after her knee injury, Riefenstahl happened to see a poster of the film "Mountain of Destiny", directed by Arnold Fanck. She was immediately interested and went to watch the film instead of repairing her knee. Her enthusiasm and strength of will led her to becoming an actress after seeing some of Fanck's films. She began her career as an actress during the late 1920s/early 1930s. Her dedication and determination led her to achieving her goal and she starred in her first film "The Holy Mountain". During these times "Berg Films" (Mountain Films) were very common and popular and thus, many of the films Leni starred in were Berg Films.
As her acting career progressed, the director Fanck, became very ill and sick. He was unable
From the very beginning, Leni Riefenstahl was a strong willed, determined and dedicated person. Her life was very complicated and interesting and can be described through many key events. These key events include her childhood, de-nazification and her various careers as a dancer, actress, film director/maker and photographer.
Leni Riefenstahl was born in Berlin, 1902, in a strict family. She became very close with her mother Bertha, but her relationship with her father Alfred, was often strained. Throughout her teen years, Leni became a great skater, gymnast and swimmer due to her artistic talent.
Following her childhood, Leni Riefenstahl became a brilliant dancer in the 1920s, during the time of the Weimar Republic. There was a free attmosphere at this time where many oppurtinities were available. Leni used this time wisely and took advantage of the careers she was intereted in. Also, her great, physical body (cult of the body) promoted her dancing career. She was an expressionistic dancer who was open to experimentation and improvisation. However, due to a knee injury during her career, she was unable to continue and left dancing for good.
On her way to the doctors after her knee injury, Riefenstahl happened to see a poster of the film "Mountain of Destiny", directed by Arnold Fanck. She was immediately interested and went to watch the film instead of repairing her knee. Her enthusiasm and strength of will led her to becoming an actress after seeing some of Fanck's films. She began her career as an actress during the late 1920s/early 1930s. Her dedication and determination led her to achieving her goal and she starred in her first film "The Holy Mountain". During these times "Berg Films" (Mountain Films) were very common and popular and thus, many of the films Leni starred in were Berg Films.
As her acting career progressed, the director Fanck, became very ill and sick. He was unable