[Coeur de Lion]

I was surprised that Riefenstahl was honored given the "politically correct" environment so typical of Hollywood. To not honor her though, would've been more than hypocritical. Independent of any connection she may've had with the Nazi's when speaking cinematically her work was revolutionary, using techniques and methods in cinematogrphy and presentation that had no precidence and has been copied by filmmakers. Not honoring Riefenstahl is somewhat akin to not giving Richard Wagner credit for the creation of the leitmotif even though he was a notorious Antisemite, and his work was exploited by the Nazis.

[weegee]

Wagner's work was "exploited" by the Nazis. Leni Riefenstahl WAS a Nazi.

I suppose the question if she was Hitler's mistress does not matter to the Hollywood Left because it's "just sex" and a private matter.

Some directors, like Fritz Lang, refused to produce propaganda for the Nazis and fled Hitler's Germany. It's called "doing the right thing". You can borrow a technique from someone else without praising them.