Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations

Original title: Olympia 1. Teil - Fest der Völker

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Karl Hein in Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations (1938)

The document of the 1936 Olympics at Berlin.The document of the 1936 Olympics at Berlin.The document of the 1936 Olympics at Berlin.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.7/10

5.4K

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See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 wins total

Top cast62

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David Albritton

Self - High Jump, USA
(uncredited)

Arvo Askola

Self - 10000 Metres, FIN
(uncredited)

Jack Beresford

Self - Carries British Flag
(uncredited)

Erwin Blask

Self - Hammer Throw, German
(uncredited)

Sulo Bärlund

Self - Shot Put, Finland
(uncredited)

Ibolya Csák

Self - High Jump, Hungary
(uncredited)

Glenn Cunningham

Self
(uncredited)

Henri de Baillet-Latour

Self - IOC, Stands with Hitler, with Hurdlers
(uncredited)

Philip Edwards

Self - 800 Metres, Canada
(uncredited)

Donald Finlay

Self - 110m Hurdles, GB
(uncredited)

Tilly Fleischer

Self - Javelin Throw, Germany
(uncredited)

Wilhelm Frick

Self - Spectator
(uncredited)

Joseph Goebbels

Self - Spectator
(uncredited)

Hermann Göring

Self - Spectator
(uncredited)

Ernest Harper

Self - Marathon, GB
(uncredited)

Karl Hein

Self - Hammer Throw, Germany
(uncredited)

Heinz Herman

German flag carrier
(uncredited)

Rudolf Hess

Self - Stands with Hitler
(uncredited)

Director
- Leni Riefenstahl
Writer
- Leni Riefenstahl
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
[Taken from the German Arthaus DVD commentary] The pole vault finals shown in the movie aren't the real ones. The actual finals were held in the evening, and as no fast film (highly sensitive to light) was available at the time, Leni Riefenstahl wanted to have bright spotlights installed. The idea was rejected by the Olympic Committee, as it would hinder the athletes. So Riefenstahl asked the three American and two Japanese finalists to return the next evening, and restaged the action.

Alternate versions
There is an Italian edition of this film on DVD, distributed by DNA srl, " HE HOLY MOUNTAIN ("La montagna dell'amore" o "La montagna del destino", 1926) + OLYMPIA 1 & 2 (1936-1938)" (2 Films on a single DVD), re-edited with the contribution of film historian Riccardo Cusin. This version is also available for streaming on some platforms.

Connections
Edited into Request Concert (1940)

Soundtracks
Olympische Hymnne
Composed by Richard Strauss

As you nicely pointed out the NFL footages that you watch today, and those of Olympia that were shot some 60+ years are the same. Which means that NFL is still using techniques that Leni Riefenstahl explored long time ago, which further means that she's 60+ years ahead of her time. When you denounce something you have to look at it from the historical context. This was groundbreaking at time, and every sport event coverage since borrowed from it. Leni Riefenstahl actually wanted to be catapulted with a camera to give an incredible feel of one of a kind sports event, but this could not be carried out. NFL ought to try some of this innovation that Leni considered long time ago, we're much more technologically advanced now...