Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. This first half of her two-part film opens with a renowned introduction that compares modern Olympians to classical Greek heroes, then goes on to provide thrilling in-the-moment coverage of some of the games' most celebrated moments, including African-American athlete Jesse Owens winning a then-unprecedented four gold medals.

Documentary

David Albritton

(Self - High Jump, USA (uncredited))

Arvo Askola

(Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited))

Jack Beresford

(Self - Carries British Flag (uncredited))

Erwin Blask

(Self - Hammer Throw, Germany (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, Great Britain (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, Great Britain (uncredited))

Karl Hein

(Self - Hammer Throw, Germany (uncredited))

Heinz Herman

(German Flag Carrier (uncredited))

Rudolf Heß

(Self - Stands with Hitler (uncredited))

Adolf Hitler

(Self - Declares Games Open (uncredited))

Volmari Iso-Hollo

(Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited))

Cornelius Johnson

(Self - High Jump, USA (uncredited))

Matti Järvinen

(Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited))

Elfriede Kaun

(Self - High Jump, Germany (uncredited))

King Umberto II

(Self - Stands with Hitler, Salutes Italian Team (uncredited))

Kalevi Kotkas

(Self - High Jump, Finland (uncredited))

Gustaf Alfons Koutonen

(Self - Hammer Throw, Finland (uncredited))

Luise Krüger

(Self - Javelin Throw, Germany (uncredited))

Maria Kwasniewska

(Self - Javelin Throw, Poland (uncredited))

Theodor Lewald

(Self - German Olympic Committee, Stands with Hitler (uncredited))

Luz Long

(Self (uncredited))

Spiridon Louis

(Self - Walks Behind Greek Flag, in Greek Costume (uncredited))

John Lovelock

(Self - 1500 Metres, New Zealand (uncredited))

Gisela Mauermayer

(Self - Discus Throw, Germany (uncredited))

Earle Meadows

(Self - Pole Vault, USA (uncredited))

Ralph Metcalfe

(Self - Sprinter, USA (uncredited))

Paula Mollenhauer

(Self - Discus Throw, Germany (uncredited))

Väinö Muinonen

(Self - Marathon, Finland (uncredited))

Seung-yong Nam

(Self - Marathon, Japan (uncredited))

Henri Nannen

(Announcer (uncredited))

Yrjö Nikkanen

(Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited))

Shûhei Nishida

(Self - Pole Vault, Japan (uncredited))

Paavo Nurmi

(Self - Spectator Watching 10000 Metres Race (uncredited))

Dorothy Odam

(Self - High Jump, Great Britain (uncredited))

Martinus Osendarp

(Self - 100 Metres, Holland (uncredited))

Jesse Owens

(Self (uncredited))

Leni Riefenstahl

(Nude Dancer - Prologue (uncredited))

Mack Robinson

(Self - Second, After Owens (uncredited))

Ilmari Salminen

(Self - 10000 Metres, Finland (uncredited))

Julius Schaub

(Self - Spectator, with Glasses, Behind Hitler (uncredited))

Kee-chung Sohn

(Self - Marathon, Japan (uncredited))

Julius Streicher

(Self - Spectator (uncredited))

Gerhard Stöck

(Self - Shot Put, Javelin Throw, Germany (uncredited))

Naoto Tajima

(Self - Triple Jump, Japan (uncredited))

Erkki Tamila

(Self - Marathon, Finland (uncredited))

Kalervo Toivonen

(Self - Javelin, Finland (uncredited))

Forrest Towns

(Self - 110m Hurdles, USA (uncredited))

Werner von Blomberg

(Self - Spectator (uncredited))

August von Mackensen

(Self - Spectator (uncredited))

Hans von Tschammer und Osten

(Self (Spectator, in White Suit) (uncredited) (unconfirmed))

Hans Woellke

(Self - Shot Put, Germany (uncredited))

Sueo Ôe

(Self - Pole Vault (uncredited))