Documentary film portrayal of Leni Riefenstahl

Bc. Anastasiya LYUBASHENKO

Master's thesis

Abstract:

The subject of the diploma research is the documentary portrayal of Leni Riefenstahl's personality in the documentary film Wonderful and Horrible life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) from the perspective of the genre theory. The main purpose of my research lies in a generic analysis of a film, a potential definition of a genre within the analyzed documentary and the definition of the genre category, to which the film may belong. Analyzing the particular qualities, portrayal techniques, narrative structure of the documentary I am making an attempt to outline the conventions, which are typically incorporated in the portrait genre in regards to documentary. By examining the nature of portrait genre within the documentary,the research intends to prove the hypotheses that the film Wonderful and Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl carries the features and maintains the conventions of portrait documentary genre. Analyzing this particular film, I am focusing on its outstanding characteristics as of a portrait genre. Based on the chosen sources I am summarizing the constant repeating elements and differences in order to formulate the conventions of the portrait genre and afterwards, to identify those conventions in the analysis of the documentary. Mentioning the sources of the research,primarily I suggest working with the chosen documentary itself and probably the documentaries of the same genre if it will be useful for the conventions outlining. Secondary literature is represented by film annotations, genre theory studies,biographical studies, etc.

Abstract:

The subject of the diploma research is the documentary portrayal of Leni Riefenstahl's personality in the documentary film Wonderful and Horrible life of Leni Riefenstahl (1993) from the perspective of the genre theory. The main purpose of my research lies in a generic analysis of a film, a potential definition of a genre within the analyzed documentary and the definition of the genre category, to which the film may belong. Analyzing the particular qualities, portrayal techniques, narrative structure of the documentary I am making an attempt to outline the conventions, which are typically incorporated in the portrait genre in regards to documentary. By examining the nature of portrait genre within the documentary,the research intends to prove the hypotheses that the film Wonderful and Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl carries the features and maintains the conventions of portrait documentary genre. Analyzing this particular film, I am focusing on its outstanding characteristics as of a portrait genre. Based on the chosen sources I am summarizing the constant repeating elements and differences in order to formulate the conventions of the portrait genre and afterwards, to identify those conventions in the analysis of the documentary. Mentioning the sources of the research,primarily I suggest working with the chosen documentary itself and probably the documentaries of the same genre if it will be useful for the conventions outlining. Secondary literature is represented by film annotations, genre theory studies,biographical studies, etc.

Keywords

žánr, dokumentární film, portrét, Riefenstahlová

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 20. 4. 2016

Accessible from:: 20. 4. 2016

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Mgr. Jakub Korda, Ph.D.

PALACKÝ UNIVERSITY OLOMOUC

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Human Studies / Medial Studies - Film Studies