The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (German: Die Bitteren Tränen der Petra von Kant) is a 1972 West German psychological romantic drama film written and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, based on his play of the same name.

Featuring an all-female cast, the film takes place entirely in the home of fashion designer Petra von Kant (Margit Carstensen),[1] following the changing dynamics in her relationships with other women.

The film is almost totally restricted to her apartment's bedroom, decorated by a huge reproduction of Nicolas Poussin's Midas and Bacchus.

The next day, with Marlene showing signs of frustration, Petra, wearing a larger, dark wig, offers to support Karin while she trains to be a model.

Petra had a happy childhood and came from a home where the good things in life were always stressed, while Karin's father was a toolmaker and she always felt neglected by her parents.

Karin reveals how her parents died: her father was laid off because of his age, killed his wife, and then hanged himself in a drunken stupor.

Marlene, who has satisfied her masochistic desire in submitting to Petra, packs her belongings, including a pistol, in a small suitcase and leaves, taking the doll as she walks away.

Solitude, love, and codependency are key themes explored in The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant.

[2] The items in Petra's room and the positioning of the camera relative to the reproduction of Midas and Bacchus are manipulated to reflect and comment on the action.

The site's consensus reads: "A thoughtful drama that grows even more powerful in retrospect, The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant sensitively depicts a woman's tortured search for connection.

[5] The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant is considered a landmark of European cinema that secured Fassbinder's status as a respected auteur.

[6] The 2014 film Clouds of Sils Maria revolves around a remount of a fictional play, Maloja Snake, about an intergenerational lesbian relationship.

The film's director, Olivier Assayas, acknowledged a link between The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant and Maloja Snake.

[7] Peter Strickland has cited The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant as a major influence on his 2015 film The Duke of Burgundy.