Olympiad (1938)

Leni Riefenstahl's epic film about the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which eschews documentary realism in favour of a stylised tribute to Ayran athleticism. Commissioned by Goebbels, but with Riefenstahl apparently given free artistic licence, 'Olympia' holds an ambiguous place in film history - some critics claim that its formal qualities merely strive to capture the essence of the Olympian ideal, whilst others see it as a companion piece to 'Triumph of the Will' in its promotion of Nazi ideology.