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==== Triumph and Beyond ====
[[File:germantriumph.jpg|thumbnail|300px|left|German movie/propaganda poster for ''Triumph of the Will'', 1935.]]
In the 1935 award winning National Socialist propaganda film, ''Triumph of the Will,'' Riefenstahl exposes the viewer to her magnificent talent as a film maker. She was unquestionably a pioneer and innovator with regards to cinematography and a genius in her application of lighting technique. From the very first appearance of Hitler in the film, as he emerges from the sky to the blaring tones of Wagner, Riefenstahl casts him in a glowing light reminiscent of a deity. During his speeches, she films him from below so he appears as a tall and imposing figure. All flags and soldiers are perfectly aligned and the soldiers’ eyes remain in the shadows of their helmets to signify blind obedience. The scenes from the Nuremberg Rally are magnificent in scope and purposefully depict the National Socialist Party 's ideology as a civic religion. In fact, she films Hitler walking down the center aisle of the massive gathering with a man at each side. The trio stops at the altar of the Unknown Soldier, conjuring an image of the Holy Trinity, thus intentionally equating Hitler to Jesus Christ. She filmed segments of the event from above to show the mass of people and flags as being united with one being indistinguishable from the next. All of these images are based on fascist ideologies. The film was funded by the Nazi party and Leni Riefenstahl helped choreograph and stage the event.
The most atrocious and blatant example of Leni Riefenstahl’s self-obsession was her use of Gypsies when she began filming ''Tiefland'' in 1940. Under Hitler’s regime, Gypsies were rounded up and forced into camps on what American’s would call reservations. Riefenstahl needed extras for several scenes in her movie and made use of the Gypsies. They were forced to work without pay and once filming was complete, they were sent to Auschwitz. Muller showed written documentation of this in his documentary but Riefenstahl denied knowing the Gypsies were from camps or what was to be their fate. In all probability she never saw the names of the people or witnessed the horrors of Auschwitz; however, that does not mean she was unaware of what did and did not exist.
