Documentary backdrop image for Bitter Lake (2015)

Documentary backdrop image for Bitter Lake (2015)

2015135 minPG-13documentary

7.6/ 10(97 ratings)• TMDB

Geopolitics Freedom Of Expression Warfare Terrorism

Bitter Lake

2015135 minPG-13documentary

7.6/ 10(97 ratings)• TMDB

Saudi Arabia's strategic alliance with the United States significantly influenced the dynamics of the war in Afghanistan.

Geopolitics Freedom Of Expression Warfare Terrorism

Genres

Director

Synopsis

Saudi Arabia's strategic alliance with the United States significantly influenced the dynamics of the war in Afghanistan.

People

Adam Curtis

Adam Curtisdirector

Adam Curtis

Adam Curtiswriter

Adam Curtis

Adam Curtiscast

George H. W. Bush

George H. W. Bushcast

George W. Bush

George W. Bushcast

Synopsis

Saudi Arabia's strategic alliance with the United States has significantly influenced the geopolitical landscape, particularly in the context of the war in Afghanistan. "Bitter Lake" examines the complexities of this relationship, highlighting key events such as the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent U.S. military interventions. Through a blend of archival footage and contemporary analysis, the film critiques the narratives surrounding oil, power, and ideology that have shaped both nations' policies and their impact on global conflicts.

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden (2025)

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden

Five computers, ten hard drives, and 110 thumb drives were recovered during the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011.

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden

Saudi Prince: Human rights groups target Saudi Arabia (2017)

Saudi Prince: Human rights groups target Saudi Arabia

Tim Sebastian questions Prince Turki Al-Faisal on Raif Badawi and Saudi Arabia's human rights issues.

Saudi Prince: Human rights groups target Saudi Arabia

House of Saud - Saudi Arabia (2008)

House of Saud - Saudi Arabia

Fifteen thousand inmates were held in Kabul's Pul-e-Charkhi prison during the Taliban's first rule, reflecting the regime's strict control over dissent.

House of Saud - Saudi Arabia

Russia and Nato's Baltic war games: the Latvians caught on Europe's frontline (2017)

Russia and Nato's Baltic war games: the Latvians caught on Europe's frontline

By May 2017, 4,000 NATO personnel will be permanently stationed in the Baltics, marking the largest troop buildup since the Cold War.

Russia and Nato's Baltic war games: the Latvians caught on Europe's frontline

What is happening to Hong Kong's democracy? (2017)

What is happening to Hong Kong's democracy?

On July 1, 1997, Britain returned Hong Kong to China, promising that its capitalist system would remain unchanged for 50 years until 2047.

What is happening to Hong Kong's democracy?

How Assad Won The War In Syria (2019)

How Assad Won The War In Syria

Officials remain divided over the failed U.S. strategy in Syria's ongoing conflict.

How Assad Won The War In Syria

Trump's Fans in Hong Kong Are Worried About Their Future Under Biden (2020)

Trump's Fans in Hong Kong Are Worried About Their Future Under Biden

Joshua Wong, a prominent pro-democracy activist, was sentenced to 13 and a half months in prison for participating in an unauthorized assembly.

Trump's Fans in Hong Kong Are Worried About Their Future Under Biden

Nationalism or Nothing: Life in Modern Russia (2023)

Nationalism or Nothing: Life in Modern Russia

President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine tightens dictatorial control in Russia.

Nationalism or Nothing: Life in Modern Russia

How Saudi Arabia Financed Global Terror (2015)

How Saudi Arabia Financed Global Terror

Fifteen of the 19 September 11 hijackers came from Abha, a town in Saudi Arabia's conservative southwest, raising questions about the kingdom's ties to extremism.

How Saudi Arabia Financed Global Terror

New alliances in troubled times: Is it 'anything goes' for Biden and Putin? (2022)

New alliances in troubled times: Is it 'anything goes' for Biden and Putin?

Russia's war on Ukraine shifts from a regional conflict to global tensions, impacting U.S.-Saudi relations.

New alliances in troubled times: Is it 'anything goes' for Biden and Putin?

UNREAL AFGHANISTAN — The Most Unexpected Place You've Never Seen! (2026)

UNREAL AFGHANISTAN — The Most Unexpected Place You've Never Seen!

Afghanistan's diverse landscapes, from the Bamiyan Buddha niches to the remote Wakhan Corridor, reveal a resilient culture shaped by ancient history and geography.

UNREAL AFGHANISTAN — The Most Unexpected Place You've Never Seen!

Tibetan Refugees: The Hardest Fight For Justice After 70 Years Of Exile (2026)

Tibetan Refugees: The Hardest Fight For Justice After 70 Years Of Exile

Tibetan refugees, after 70 years in exile, continue to seek justice, as illustrated by Sonam Choeden's return to India and insights from the 14th Dalai Lama.

Tibetan Refugees: The Hardest Fight For Justice After 70 Years Of Exile

Explore Bitter Lake

People Awards Topics FAQ Stream

Where else to watch

Kingdom of Silence (2020)

Kingdom of Silence

2020•1h38m•★8.0TMDB

Fifteen months after Jamal Khashoggi's murder in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, the implications for U.S. foreign policy remain significant.

Kingdom of Silence

The Dissident (2020)

The Dissident

2020•1h59m•★7.3TMDB

On October 2, 2018, Jamal Khashoggi was murdered after entering the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul, sparking an international outcry.

Battleground Afghanistan (2013)

Battleground Afghanistan

2013•1h30m•★7.4TMDB

A U.S. Marine captain and his team engage in combat against Taliban forces in Afghanistan during this 2013 documentary series.

Battleground Afghanistan

Dirty Wars (2013)

Dirty Wars

2013•1h27m•★7.0TMDB

Five civilians, including two pregnant women, were killed by U.S. soldiers during a night raid in Afghanistan, prompting an investigation into military actions.

Saudi Arabia Uncovered (2016)

Saudi Arabia Uncovered

2016•54m•★6.5TMDB

Undercover journalists face significant risks while investigating the enforcement of strict laws by the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia Uncovered

Path of Blood (2018)

Path of Blood

2018•1h32m•★6.5TMDB

27 people were killed and over 200 wounded in a series of bombings by Al Qaeda in Riyadh on May 12, 2003, marking the start of a violent campaign.

Desert Seas (2011)

Desert Seas

2011•45m•★9.0TMDB

Palolo worms spawn at night in a rare event captured for the first time, revealing the vibrant ecosystems of Saudi Arabia's coastal waters.

Myanmar Diaries (2022)

Myanmar Diaries

2022•1h10m•★7.3TMDB

Following the February 1, 2021 coup, citizens of Myanmar express their struggles against military rule through personal stories and artistic expression.

Myanmar Diaries

Browse more like this

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden (2025)

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden

Five computers, ten hard drives, and 110 thumb drives were recovered during the raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011.

The Fall of Osama Bin Laden

No digital watch option in your country

MBS: Prince With Two Faces (2020)

MBS: Prince With Two Faces

2020•1h14m•★7.5TMDB

At 34 years old, Mohammed ben Salman leads Saudi Arabia, a nation with vast oil reserves and significant influence in the global economy.

MBS: Prince With Two Faces

Fabled Enemies (2008)

Fabled Enemies

2008•1h42m•★5.1TMDB

Seven years after the September 11 attacks, the film questions whether Osama Bin Laden was the mastermind behind the events or a scapegoat.

Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11 (2003)

Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11

2003•35m•★8.3TMDB

Stephen Marshall investigates the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, questioning the George W. Bush administration's actions and ties to the CIA and ISI.

Aftermath: Unanswered Questions from 9/11

Big Brother: A World Under Surveillance (2020)

Big Brother: A World Under Surveillance

2020•1h30m•★7.9TMDB

Over 1 billion surveillance cameras are now in use worldwide, raising concerns about privacy and personal freedoms in the name of security.

Big Brother: A World Under Surveillance

Browse more by Adam Curtis

View all films →

The Cost of Treachery (1984)

The Cost of Treachery

1984

40 Minutes (1981)

40 Minutes

1981

The Century of the Self (2002)

The Century of the Self

2002

Just Another Day (1983)

Just Another Day

1983

HyperNormalisation (2016)

HyperNormalisation

2016

The Road to Terror (1989)

The Road to Terror

1989

£830,000,000 - Nick Leeson and the Fall of the House of Barings (1996)

£830,000,000 - Nick Leeson and the Fall of the House of Barings

1996

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →