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DAS BLAUE LICHT NEWS WIRE
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October 2003 / December 2003 A small internment ceremony was held in an East Munich cemetery for Leni Riefenstahl in early October. Thanks to Horst Kettner for sending me this image of the headstone which has within it a unique and beautiful crystal representing her film Das blaue Licht. (Editor: Patrick Zarate)
PHOTO BY HORST KETTNER
September 12, 2003 As reported on the AP, about 500 mourners attended the funeral of Leni Riefenstahl the Friday after her death. "What she wanted she could do" said Antje-Katrin Kuehnemann television host and friend to Riefenstahl. Others who remembered her in eulogy included tycoon Leo Kirch and her assistant of many years, Gisela Jahn. A chamber orchestra played music including that from Richard Wagner's opera, "Tannhaeuser."
September 8, 2003 We received word that Leni Riefenstahl passed away quietly in her sleep at her home in Poecking, near Starnberger Lake. Our grief and sorrow are with those closest to her including Horst, Gisela and Ulrike. Reuters news reports at approximately 10:50 pm Monday September 8th filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl," the last of Germany's famous Nazi-era figures", has died just weeks after turning 101.This was later confirmed in a brief press conference outside her home, in which her personal assistant, Gisela Jahn stated that "Frau Riefenstahl died without pain, she fell asleep in her bed..." At her side was her long time companion, Horst Kettner. "The registry office has been told of the death of Frau Riefenstahl," Rainer Schnitzler, mayor of Poecking, told Reuters on Tuesday. Riefenstahl had recently returned to her lakeside home from hospital where she had been placed just days following her 101st birthday. Horst Kettner
confirmed that she died peacefully in her sleep.
http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,264901,00.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/3093574.stm
"I want to fall asleep, feel well, and then everything ends. Goodbye...That must be very beautiful." Leni Riefenstahl 1902/2003
August 22,2003 L E N I R I E F E N S T A H L T U R N S 1 0 1. According to the Associated Press, Leni Riefenstahl enjoyed her birthday at home with family. Unfortunately she had to turn away many requests for interviews as "she was feeling far better last year than at the moment,'' said Gisela Jahn who advised the press that Mrs. Riefenstahl " will spend her birthday quietly at home, without visitors and only with her family.'' As to the nature of her ongoing illness and recent medical care, Ms. Jahn related only that "it's sure to pass but at the moment she absolutely needs and wants quiet.'' HELP US CELEBRATE AND ENTER OUR SECOND ANNUAL RIEFENSTAHL BIRTHDAY CONTEST CLICK HERE TO ENTER THE CONTEST July 2003 The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has added to its cinema archive by "purchasing the [film] rights" of the 1936 Summer Games in Berlin . Reportedly the purchase was of Leni Riefenstahl's documentary film Olympia (1938). The terms and price for this significant acquisition by the IOC from the German government remains unclear, though they include the commercial rights. Current IOC president Jacques Rogge describes the famous two-part documentary as "...the pearl of our collection... the most eminent film in the history of the Olympic Games." (Source: AP)
The film magazine, Empire, has released a list of the Top 100 films That Changed the World. Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph des Willens rated "a mere 100" on the list, even though according to the Sydney Morning Herald, it "is [the] one film on the list that arguably influenced events on a world scale." Although they reference it's role as a propaganda film, they state that "it [remains] open to debate whether it assisted or just reflected the rise of Nazi Germany..." Euro Video has announced that it will release both Impressionen unter Wasser and Leni Riefenstahl: Ihr Traum von Afrika, this summer. Both of these new documentaries by or on Riefenstahl will include features such as Dolby digital sound, some photographic and biographical extras as well as a "letterbox" ( 1:66 to 1) aspect ratio. The two German language DVD's are set for release on August 21, 2003. (Source: areadvd.com)
The Los Angeles Times reports that the Griffin Contemporary art gallery will display a rare exhibition of a 1937 portfolio of Leni Riefenstahl's photographs as a part of the L.A. International Biennial. This portfolio was released in Europe and was "apparently never before exhibited in the United States." The exhibit contains 94 images documenting the summer Olympic Games in Berlin, and was released simultaneously with Riefenstahl's film Olympia. Time's staff writer describes the exhibition as "a veritable symphony of form." The exhibit will continue through August 16, 2003. Leni Riefenstahl's Olympia film is named one of the top 10 sports films of all time by Sports Illustrated this month. Described as a "lyrical account of the Berlin Olympics" the brief article mentions that noted film critic Pauline Kael called the 1938 release "an elegy on youth" which is "dedicated to the highest ideals of sportsmanship..." Included in the very short list are artistic triumphs such as "Chariots of Fire", "Raging Bull" and the documentary "When We Were Kings." According to German news media, Leni Riefenstahl is recovering from an operation due to cancer. A second operation may be indicated. According to her spokesman the director remains weak but is physically improved. Riefenstahl had recently cancelled her appearance at the Berlin photographic exhibit and a planned oversees journey. "Frau Riefenstahl has been severely ill for the past weeks..." said her assistant Ulrike Thomann-Japes as many requests for interviews occur with her 101st birthday around the corner (quote source: Reuters).
June 2003
According to the DVD web site, the digital bits.com, independent film distributor, KINO has announced that they will release the 1926 film "The Holy Mountain" [aka "Der Heilige Berg"] which of course stars Leni Riefenstahl. Kino tells dasblauelicht.net that the film "is being released under the heading of 'Landmarks of Early European Cinema' " and that they are "not releasing [any] additional 'Bergfilm' titles." Expect "Der Heilige Berg" to be on the shelf by August 12, 2003. Kino it will be remembered released Ray Muller's seminal Riefenstahl documentary, "The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl" (1993). Berlin's Camera Work gallery will host an exhibit of Nuba and Olympia photography by Leni Riefenstahl it was announced. The show will run July 4 - August 16, 2003. This is the gallery's second run on these works. It is rumored that Riefenstahl will attend an upcoming exhibit opening. Berlin's Humboldt Foundation will award author and film scholar Yuji Segawa the Philip Franz von Siebold prize in late June 2003. Segawa was noted for his "promotion of better bilateral understanding" in relation to his academic studies on contemporary German cinema. In 2001, Segawa released a book on Leni Riefenstahl entitled The Charm of Beauty which defends the German filmmaker's legacy and cinematic style in unprecedented detail. Segawa describes the recent spate of German biographies on Riefenstahl as "unproductive" and faulty in their claim that her work is inherently fascist. Source AFP
May 2003 Strong ratings found the Toronto Canada based studio Alliance Atlantis' production of Hitler: The Rise of Evil on CBS television. The four hour mini-series depicted Hitler in pre-war Munich as he began his climb to power. The project had difficulty, not the least that producer Ed Gernon career on the project when he compared the political climate in Hitler's pre war Germany to America under George W. Bush. CBS and Alliance quickly fired Gernon and did a substantial rewrite their project. This may explain why a key sequence ending the film (which was to depict Hitler watching Triumph of the Will in a private screening with Leni Riefenstahl at the projector) did not make it to the final cut in the two night series presentation. March 2003 Japanese film scholar Yuji Segawa was awarded a top prize from the Japanese Culture Ministry for his latest book on Leni Riefenstahl. The book, entitled The Charm of Beauty, the Truth About Riefenstahl is not currently available in English. A recent review notes that the central premise of the book is that Segawa argues "it is unreasonable that only Riefenstahl has been singled out" and that "many such films have been produced at many different times in many different countries." The singular focus on making Riefenstahl is a "faulty and remiss" premise that "lacks rationality." Berliner Morgenpost in a brief article on recent major German based film productions, declared that the Jodie Foster biopic announced back in late 1999 was almost certainly off the boards. The article stated that "a film about Leni Riefenstahl with Jodie Foster did not [progress beyond] the stage of its announcement." February 2003 A and M Productions, based reportedly in the U.K. have released a "soundtrack" CD for Leni Riefenstahl's "Sieg des Glaubens" (the 1st of the Party Rally films Riefenstahl directed). That film, thought lost for decades, is only available at one or two museums in the world for private screenings or research. Perhaps as important, they have released on DVD and VHS an extended version of "Tag der Freiheit" the last of the Rally films. The company claims to have found a 3rd reel of film, previously not available to the two recent "uncut" 17 minute versions of the film (see Synpases' "...des Willens" DVD supplements). A and M's version will come in at just over 27 minutes and is currently available only as an online auction item at Ebay. At this time, no one from A and M or Leni Riefenstahl Produktion has been available for comment on these important releases.
January 2003
Torch Gallery in Amsterdam will display the Leni Riefenstahl Nuba work from mid February through mid March of 2003. The gallery had displayed Riefenstahl's Olympia work in mid 2002 as well.
The Associated Press reports that Leni Riefenstahl received an honorary award at the world's largest water craft trade fair in Duesseldorf, Germany. Riefenstahl had apparently returned from a vacation in Kenya and the articles described her as rested and tanned. Her acceptance speech recounted her need to deceive her scuba instructors in order to obtain her diver's certificate at the age of 72, an age well over the limit. The award was given on January 18th at the 'Boot Duesseldorf' for her contribution to the art of underwater photography. (AP Photo/M. Meissner)
Bavarian Film International announced that the long awaited "Return to the Sudan" documentary is apparently about to be released. Repackaged by Odeon Films and producer Power and Glory Films of Africa, the "new" Ray Muller film will juxtapose "footage of her first visits to the Nuba in the 1970s with the reality of today, the documentary also records the decline of a once proud people, as well as Riefenstahl's grief over the loss of many of her friends..." The film is 59 minutes in length and has been re-titled "Leni Riefenstahl: Her Dream of Africa." Ray Muller was the director of the award winning 1993 "The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl."
Odeon Films has also packaged the Leni Riefenstahl Produktion release of "Impressions Under Water" for theatrical exhibition and broadcast. The film runs 44 minutes and 27 seconds, is available in a digital format and features the first new film that Riefenstahl has released since 1954's Tiefland. It remains unclear when either of these releases will be available for home viewing or DVD.
Like many other journalists in 2002, news veteran Peter Hossli waited his turn to be granted access to Leni Riefenstahl on the event of her 100th centenary. Uniquely he has published the entire interview, which was late in the year, conducted through E-mail. Excerpted here are a few of the questions and responses. For the complete version please go to Mr. Hossli's web site. www.hossli.com Peter Hossli (PH) What are your goals in life ? Leni Riefenstahl (LR) To be able to work as long as possible. PH - What motivates you ? Why not stop and rest now ? LR - A life with peace and rest would be, in the end, boring, even intolerable. PH - What film are you most proud of ? LR - The films of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Olympia. PH - What do you regret in your life ? LR - That I ever met Adolf Hitler. (Editor's Note: Thanks for Mr. Hossli for his permission to use excerpted portions of this interview)
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