1.05 The Ecstasy of Leni Riefenstahl: 'Triumph of the Will'

This episode explores Leni Riefenstahl's "Triumph of the Will"(1935) as both a landmark in cinematic innovation and a chilling demonstration of fascist aesthetics in their purest form. Directed by Riefenstahl, the film is less a historical document than a sacred text of Nazi ideology—one that transforms politics into religion, mass into myth, and submission into beauty. We examine how fascism uses spectacle to overwhelm critical thought, offering audiences not arguments but ritualized emotion. Through architecture, lighting, choreography, and montage, "Triumph of the Will" doesn't persuade—it anoints. Riefenstahl’s camera doesn’t show Hitler taking power. It shows that he already reigns, divinely ordained by unity and desire. It's not a pleasant filmgoing film experience, but we felt it necessary to discuss it.