Triumph of the Will

Triumph of the Will, (Triumph des Willens in the original German), 1935 is German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl's most famous work. Riefenstahl's pioneering cinematographic techniques (tracking, use of multiple cameras, aerial photography) brought her instant recognition, while the film's subject matter brought her lasting infamy. The film was a Nazi propaganda vehicle commissioned by Adolf Hitler. It documents the 1934 Nuremberg [Nazi] Party Rally.

Like Olympia and Birth of a Nation, Triumph of the Will presents a dilemma for modern audiences: how to reconcile their repugnant messages with their status as innovative films of lasting significance.

Albert Speer mentions that some of the actual footage of the Rally was spoiled, and he created a studio reproduction of the speaking venue. He said that he was "rather disturbed" that Julius Streicher, Rudolf Hess and Alfred Rosenberg acted so well in the reenactment. "Frau Riefenstahl, on the other hand, thought the acted scenes beter than the original presentation."