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IN MY LENS THE LENI RIEFENSTAHL STORY BY Patrick Zarate
BLACK SCREEN FADE IN EXT. ON THE ROAD IN THE SUDAN. A desert road, in Africa's Sudan desert. It is the end of summer, the weather is hot and dry despite the incoming monsoon season. A Land Rover, white in color but covered in mud, is moving along this unpaved and dusty road navigating the pot holes. The Rover turns onto a more uneven road and as it proceeds, moves deliberately past a long line of African native people, numbering several dozen, carrying their meager belongings, obviously on the move because of the ensuing war which has forced them off the land. (PERIOD DRESS, CIRCA 1970) INT. LAND ROVER A female pair of hands, older, move swiftly and with precision over an array of Leica cameras, lenses and film. The technical proficiency of these movements is in direct contradiction to the elegant and manicured fingers and hands and the bumpy ride of the Rover. VOICE/OVER The voice of Leni Riefenstahl's companion and assistant, Horst Kettner in German...(the hands continue their tasks uninterrupted)
KETTNER ...this is the road. I think we are almost there. (pause) Leni,did you hear me? (pause) ...Leni?
EXT. AT THE WHEEL Medium Shot of Kettner as he continues to drive, looking at the now deserted road. When he reaches a ridge top, he brings the Rover to a stop. Reflected in the glass, with the sun setting lower are the mud huts of the Nuba. Turning his head slightly towards the rear of the Rover, he asks again....
KETTNER ...Leni ? CUT TO:
INT. THE RIEFENSTAHL HOME IN AUSTRIAN ALPS A pair of female hands, shadowed by the same light as the Rover. The rather younger hands , are "working" a spoon in cup of tea, slowly but methodically. VOICE/OVER (FEMALE) OF RIEFENSTAHL'S ASSISTANT HANNI. SHE IS LETTING HER EMPLOYER KNOW THAT THE CAR HAS ARRIVED TO TAKE HER TO THE ALLIED TRIBUNAL, WHICH WILL DECIDE HER REPUTATION AND FATE (in English) HANNI ...Leni ? They are ready. The car, it is here. ...Leni ?
Still but tense, the hand lays the spoon on the fine china cup holder and the arrangement on the sil. Camera pulls back to Medium Shot and Tilts upward to the face of Leni Riefenstahl; it is beautiful but sad; strong and yet resigned. (PERIOD DRESS, 1948) CUT TO: SLOW MOTION INSERT; A FEW SECONDS ONLY; IN B&W (ONE OF SEVERAL INSERTS IN THE FILM) MEDIUM SHOT Riefenstahl as a young woman makes a dramatic dance movement on stage (PERIOD DRESS, 1920) CUT TO: INT. THE RIEFENSTAHL HOME IN AUSTRIAN ALPS Peering outward now from Riefenstahl's point of view, the camera tracks behind Riefenstahl and past her to window. In a shot reminiscent of the famous one of Citizen Kane, it pushes past her, through the glass and CUTS TO: EXT. DISTANT ESTABLISHING SHOT of the Alpine range Riefenstahl has been meditating on. The shot lingers as the sun hits the snow and the clouds and mist drift up and over the peaks. EXTREME CLOSE UP The eyes of Riefenstahl study the Alps. This time they are ready, motivated and intense. She is "seeing," through her artists gaze. A slight glint or focusing of the eye will let the audience know that her sight has become an artists when this occurs. FADE IN MUSIC. WAGNER'S Zur Burg furht die Brucke (Karajan conducting the Berliner Philharmoniker; vintage recording). OFF CAMERA, VOICE OVER The camera remains fixed on Riefenstahl's eyes as her assistant asks again HANNI ...Leni ? Hanni, a beautiful young woman is now shown (Medium Shot) as she briefly ends her gentle prompting and moves from the doorway... Quick cut to Alps, then to Riefenstahl's eyes... Fade out to black. CUT TO: OPENING CREDIT SEQUENCE BEGINS MUSIC CONTINUES. WAGNER'S Zur Burg furht die Brucke... BLACK, THEN FADE IN TO ESTABLISHING SHOT. THE SNOW COVERED ROCKY CRAGS OF THE MAJESTIC ALPS As the camera pulls back there are four human images that are pulling their way up on the rock face. One of the four climbers is a woman. There is a variety of medium close ups of the hands, feet, ropes and equipment as the climbers ascend. Intercut are the black screened titles of the Credits. The final credit/alps shots are of the woman reaching down to pull a man up who is struggling. It is clear that she has a mastery of the climb. (PERIOD DRESS 1930) END OF OPENING CREDITS
CUT TO: INT. THE RIEFENSTAHL HOME IN AUSTRIAN ALPS. MEDIUM SHOT AS SHE TURNS FROM THE WINDOW AND HEADS TO DOORWAY, RECENTLY OCCUPIED BY HANNI Unable to foresee that the Allied Tribunal she is heading for will not be an ending, rather a beginning of the decades of persecution, Leni Riefenstahl steps out of her viewing room as she resolutely says... RIEFENSTAHL Ja, I am ready... As she steps through the doorway of her home, there is a flash of white light;the sound of vintage cameras and flashbulbs. CUT TO: INT. THE COURT ROOM OF THE ALLIED TRIBUNAL Riefenstahl enters and the room is full, her barristers await her, the press is pushing and shots by the photographers are blinding her. She makes her way to the front of the overcrowded room. The last camera is raised AND goes off as she is being seated, and the scene ends with a CUT TO: EXT. THE SUDAN, NEAR DUSK As Riefenstahl is taking her photographs; there is a massive throng of Nuba, who move to some atypical rhythm, have some idea what they are doing, but it looks very chaotic to our eye. SOUNDTRACK MUSIC. NUBA Chants and rhythms. Riefenstahl moves amongst the Nuba without fear and shoots methodically. There is nothing staged, it is clear that despite the foreign nature of their movements and ways, she is photographing "real life." EXT. THE SUDAN, NIGHTTIME There is both good news and bad, related to her by Horst Kettner as they relax near their tent reading the mail which has now found them, weeks after it was sent. He reads / tells her that her latest project looks like it will be funded but she will need to return to Europe to assure the backers. There is a pressing court case regarding slander against her that she must also finance and face. KETTNER It's been two months since the last request. The court wont wait for you. You might as well take care of that when you go back. This will be the end of it... RIEFENSTAHL Ja Ja... It will be the end of it. As Riefenstahl peers upward to the stars (not shown) there is a another CUT TO: B & W INSERT. Somewhat longer in length (but under one minute total) Close Ups of Riefenstahl's hands, the editing table. Medium Shots to establish the overwhelming presence of celluloid strips which she is working and reworking, like a painter with a canvas and paint. Riefenstahl is in her trade mark white jacket. There is a skill and intensity unparalleled in her ability which is cinematically achieved here. As Riefenstahl leans forward and pushes "play" on the editor, the men's diving sequence from "Olympia" begins to play. The final cut of the sequence is her eyes, which give off an intense gaze, again she is "seeing". CUT TO: EXT. NEW YORK HARBOR, ON THE DECK OF THE EUROPA LUXURY LINER. (Period Dress 1938) Riefenstahl, on her way to sell her film "Olympia" about the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the U.S. She walks on to the deck and is surprised by the aggressive nature of the press. They push and shove cameras at her, at every angle. PRESS MAN 1 Leni, over here ! [ FLASH, FLASH ] PRESS MAN 2 Over here !! [ FLASH, FLASH ] She twists and turns attempting to satisfy their insatiable appetite for a photo. Riefenstahl keeps her composure but is unsettled by the aggressive nature PRESS MAN 3 Is it true, Frauline Riefenstahl that you are Herr Hitler's girlfriend ? RIEFENSTAHL No we are only friends. I have made a few documentaries for him. If you want, the name of the film I am most proud of ... PRESS MAN 1 (interrupting) When did you meet him ? RIEFENSTAHL Before he became Chancellor... PRESS MAN 3 Leni ! Over Here (Flash, Flash) PRESS MAN 4 And what do you say to the charges the Nazis have attacked the Jews. That they have killed some and burned the Synagogues. RIEFENSTAL It cannot be true, what the papers say. It is not true. CUT TO: INT., THE BEVERLY HILL HOTEL Riefenstahl is on the telephone, pacing around the room. She has had success with her screenings in Chicago and New York, but now the Anti Nazi league has gotten "all" of Hollywood involved to boycott her presence and Olympia. RIEFENSTAHL I don't know... They will be outside... No one will see film here. Yes, Disney liked what I had to say... No he won't, he is afraid... They are all afraid. Her voice becomes louder and more insistent. It is obvious she has been held up in the room for days, maybe even weeks.... RIEFENSTAHL All appointments cancelled. All screening cancelled. (pause) There are SIGNS on the street ! It's over, I am coming home.
Throwing the phone down in disgust, she sits down and looks at the papers again. "Hollywood has no place for Leni Riefenstahl" is a headline, amongst others... She throws her head back and looks out the window, tears welling in her eyes...
CUT TO: THE SUDAN, NIGHTTIME Outside the tent in the Sudanese desert, the dark sky is overtaking their fire and Leni who has been contemplating the reality, seeping in after 25 years of legal battles and slander, turns a weary eye to Kettner and states in resignation... RIEFENSTAHL Horst, my dear, it will most certainly not be the end of it... THIS "SCRIPT" IS FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY |
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