From legendary director Werner Herzog comes the adventures of the thrilling life of Gertrude Bell (Nicole Kidman); traveller, writer, archaeologist and political attaché for the British Secret Service at the dawn of the twentieth century.
Completely unsatisfied with life in England, Gertrude journeys to the Middle East and to Tehran where she falls into a tragic love affair with diplomat and gambler Henry Cadogan (James Franco). As the Ottoman Empire crumbles, Gertrude explores the vast region, learning all she can and meeting Muslim dignitaries in Cairo and Baghdad. As a mediator between the Orient and the British Empire, she contributes to define the new borders in the region; particularly after the World War, where she finds tumultuous love again in the arms of Charles Doughty-Wylie (Damian Lewis).
Dubbed ‘the female Lawrence of Arabia’, Herzog uses vast and epic landscapes to tell an emotional and inspirational tale of discovery and desire.