In examining
Susan Sontag’s essay Fascinating Fascism, which discusses the long time
controversial, propagandist filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, some questions
surfaced. What are the responsibilities of an artist/film-maker? As
a filmmaker, does Leni abandon her responsibilities? Moreover, in doing
so must she relinquish the title of artist? Just because Leni Reifenstahl
created a Nazi propaganda film, does this automatically make her a fascist?
Having
watched Triumph Of The Will, we agreed that the film had some very beautiful
shots. In defending her work, Leni "was always concerned with beauty
(37)." In an interview, she speaks about her intention as a filmmaker.
" I am fascinated by what is beautiful, strong, healthy… (37)."
Even though
Leni Riefenstahl claims, she is only concerned with beauty and the aesthetics
of film. Sontag argues that Leni does not escape the ideals of fascism.
According to Sontag "fascist art displays a utopian aesthetic that
of utopian perfection (40)." Riefenstahl’s Olympiad is an example glorifying
a standard of human athletic perfection.
Even if
Leni Riefenstahl was a fascist filmmaker, does this mean she could not
be an artist as well? As a group we felt that an artist’s responsibility
was to search for truth, and despite how much beauty and artistic merit
these films might have the fact remains, Leni made fascist propaganda
films.
Despite
this fact, Leni was an innovator of filmmaking. In shooting the Olympiad
many of the revolutionary techniques her and her team developed are
now standard practice. We felt that Sontag glossed over the fact that
Leni Riefenstahl was a woman. Having the option to create a film with
unlimited financial backing is a huge opportunity. Hitler was a huge
figure in the 1933. To be sought out by someone of that caliber is a
tremendous opportunity for anyone and especially a woman because woman
did not do make films very often in 1933.