Rie·fen·stahl 
(rēfən-stäl′, -shtäl′), Helene Bertha Amalie Known as "Leni." 1902-2003.
(rēfən-stäl′, -shtäl′), Helene Bertha Amalie Known as "Leni." 1902-2003. German filmmaker who gained notoriety for the Nazi-sponsored documentaries she made in the 1930s, including Triumph of the Will (1935) and Olympia (1938), in which she made use of brilliant cinematic techniques to glorify Hitler and Nazi ideals.