‘Riefenstahl’ doc scores key sales following Venice and Telluride premieres

German director Andres Veiel’s documentary Riefenstahl has notched up sales to key territories following its premieres at Venice and Teulluride.

Riefenstahl investigates the influential director Leni Riefenstahl’s close involvement with the Nazis.

Munich-based World Sales company Beta Cinema announced deals for France (ARP), Spain (Filmin), Portugal (Midas Filmes), Scandinavia (Edge Entertainment), Benelux (Imagine), Poland (Against Gravity), Hungary (Cirko Film), former Yugoslavia (MCF) and Japan (Longride Entertainment). Additional territories are currently in negotiation. German distribution had previously been agreed with Majestic and Italian distribution through co-producer Rai Cinema.

Veiel’s film, produced by German political journalist Sandra Maischberger, is the first documentary with full access to Riefenstahl’s estate.

Riefenstahl became famous for her Nazi propaganda film Triumph Of The Will but kept denying any closer ties to the regime. A six-year investigation into her private papers, Maischberger and Veiel’s film proves that this denial was merely a convenient lie.

• ’Riefenstahl’: Venice Review