

The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant
Sex is the ultimate weapon.
Petra von Kant is a successful fashion designer -- arrogant, caustic, and self-satisfied. She mistreats Marlene (her secretary, maid, and co-designer). Enter Karin, a 23-year-old beauty who wants to be a model. Petra falls in love with Karin and invites her to move in.
TMDB
7.4/10
246 votes
IMDb
Not rated yet
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- Status
- Released
- Budget
- —
- Box office
- —
- Language
- German
- australia
- success
- bremen
- based on play or musical
- fashion designer
- egoism
- lesbian relationship
- secretary
- fashion
- lgbt
Top billed cast
Behind the camera
Where to watch
All optionsAvailability for United States. Provided by JustWatch through the TMDB API.
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Videos
Release dates
United StatesUS
- PremiereChicago international Film Festival1 Sept 1973
- PremiereNew York Film Festival12 Oct 1973
- Theatrical (limited)New York City, New York11 Jun 1976
- PremiereMilwaukee LGBT Film and Video Festival8 Oct 2003
- PhysicalCriterion Collection Blu-Ray13 Jan 2015
United KingdomGB
- PhysicalArrow Academy Blu-Ray 4 Apr 2016
AustraliaAU
- PremiereMelbourne International Film Festival1 Aug 2018
ArgentinaAR
- PremiereCine York: Rainer Werner Fassbinder4 Sept 2024
BelgiumBE
- Theatrical (limited)Gent9 Nov 1973
CyprusCY
- PremiereQueer Wave2 Dec 2022
CzechiaCZ
- PremiereGay and Lesbian Film Festival12 Nov 2003
DenmarkDK
- TV155 Oct 1972
- Theatrical (limited)Copenhagen8 Feb 1974
- PremiereGay Film Festival21 Jun 1987
FinlandFI
- Theatrical (limited)K-185 Oct 1972
- TV26 Nov 1977
FranceFR
- TheatricalU24 Apr 1974
- TheatricalRe-Release18 Apr 2018
- TheatricalRe-Release11 Jun 2025
GermanyDE
- PremiereBerlin International Film Festival25 Jun 1972
- Theatrical5 Oct 1972
GreeceGR
- PremiereThessaloniki International Film Festival7 Nov 2014
Frequently asked questions
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant was released on 5 October 1972.
Audience reviews
1- C6/10
CinemaSerf
2/18/2024
Nope, this is another film about which I didn't get the memo. Though Margit Carstensen performs addictively in the title role, the rest of this quickly descends into a rather tedious introspection of a sexually fluid woman who treats her secretary "Marlene" (Irm Hermann) appallingly at the best of times and even worse when attractive, aspiring and ambitious model "Karin" (Hanna Schygulla) arrives seeking a career - a…
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