How to Cite a Film or Movie in Chicago 17 Format

Film is a primary source in humanities disciplines ranging from film studies and media criticism to history, cultural studies, and philosophy. Whether you are analyzing Kubrick's visual symbolism, tracing the evolution of Italian neorealism, or documenting historical events through documentary film, the Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition) Notes-Bibliography system provides a clear framework for citing motion pictures. Proper film citation ensures your reader can locate the exact version you viewed—an increasingly important detail now that films circulate across theatrical release, physical media, and multiple streaming platforms, sometimes in different cuts or editions.

This guide covers every scenario you are likely to encounter: theatrical films, documentaries, streaming-only releases, classic films viewed on modern platforms, and works with multiple directors or no identifiable director. All examples follow the Chicago 17th Edition Notes-Bibliography format.

Understanding the Core Elements

Every Chicago film citation contains the same building blocks, arranged slightly differently for footnotes and bibliography entries. Here is what each element represents and where to find it:

• Title — The official title of the film, italicized. Use the original title or an established English release title, as appropriate.
• Director — In title-first citations, precede the name with "directed by" and use natural order (First Last). When a bibliography entry begins with the director, invert the name (Last, First) and add "dir."
• Other contributors — Producers, writers, cinematographers, or performers may be listed after the director when relevant to your discussion.
• Studio or distributor — The production company or distribution company. Use the company credited for the version you consulted; include original release information when relevant.
• Year — The release year of the version you consulted. Include the original theatrical or broadcast release year when relevant, particularly for a restored or re-released version.
• Format or medium — How you accessed the film: DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm, digital download, etc.

Chicago permits film bibliography entries to begin with the title or a principal contributor, such as the director, depending on the focus of the citation. In title-first entries, the director follows the title, preceded by "Directed by." In director-first entries, invert the director’s name and add "dir."

Real-World Examples

Example 1: Standard Theatrical Film

A widely released film viewed on physical media:

Example 2: Film on a Streaming Platform

When you watched a film on a streaming service rather than physical media, identify the platform as the format:

Note that Roma was distributed by Netflix, so Netflix serves as both distributor and platform. When a film was originally released theatrically by one studio and later appears on a different streaming service, identify the streaming platform; you may also include the original studio when relevant (see Example 4 below).

Example 3: Documentary Film with Additional Contributors

When your analysis focuses on the contributions of a producer, narrator, or cinematographer, include them after the director:

Example 4: Classic Film Viewed on a Modern Platform

For older films accessed via streaming or a restored Blu-ray, identify the platform or edition you consulted. Include original release information when relevant, as in this example:

The semicolon before "Max" signals that 1942 is the original release date and Max is the current viewing platform. This pattern lets your reader distinguish between the film's historical context and your actual source of access.

Example 5: Film with Multiple Directors

Some films credit two or more directors. List them in the order they appear in the film's credits, separated by "and":

Step-by-Step Instructions

Creating a Footnote (First Reference)

1. Start with the footnote number. Use a superscript number in your text and a matching number at the bottom of the page.
2. Italicize the film title. Use the original title or an established English release title. If the title includes a subtitle, separate it with a colon: Blade Runner 2049, not Blade Runner: 2049 (unless the official title uses a colon).
3. Add "directed by" followed by the director's name in natural order. Write "directed by Greta Gerwig," not "directed by Gerwig, Greta."
4. Include additional contributors if relevant. After the director, you may add "produced by," "written by," "featuring," or "with" followed by names. Only include contributors who are directly relevant to your argument.
5. Place the studio and year in parentheses. Use the distributor or production company most closely associated with the release. Follow the studio name with a comma and the four-digit year.
6. Identify the recorded version. After the closing parenthesis, add a comma and then the format: DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm print, or digital download. A theatrical-viewing citation may omit a format designation.
7. Close with a period.

Creating a Shortened Footnote

1. Use the footnote number.
2. Give only the italicized title of the film, followed by a period.
3. If you cite two films with identical titles (rare but possible with remakes), add the year in parentheses: Dune (2021).

Creating a Bibliography Entry

1. Begin with the italicized title or the relevant contributor. A director-first entry begins with the inverted director’s name followed by "dir."
2. In a title-first entry, follow with "Directed by" and the director's name. End this element with a period. A director-first entry does not repeat the director after the title.
3. List additional contributors if included. Each contributor type gets its own sentence: "Featuring Angela Davis." or "Produced by Brad Pitt."
4. Add the studio, a comma, and the year. End with a period.
5. End with the recorded format followed by a period. A theatrical-viewing citation may omit a format designation.

Common Errors

Compare these valid alternatives and common errors when preparing your film citations:

Choice 1: Title-First or Director-First Bibliography Entries

Alphabetize title-first film entries by title and director-first entries by the director’s surname. A director-first entry is appropriate when that person’s contribution is the focus; it is a permitted Chicago form.

Choice 2: Theatrical Viewing or Recorded Format

The format tells your reader exactly which version you consulted. A Blu-ray release may include different special features, subtitles, or even an alternate cut compared to a streaming version. Identify the medium when citing a particular recorded version. A theatrical-viewing citation may omit a format designation.

Choice 3: Identifying a Streaming Film with a URL or Service

A stable URL may identify a film viewed online. A streaming service or database name may also identify the source. Include the URL when appropriate for the version you consulted.

Error 4: Omitting Release Information for a Film

Identify the version you consulted and give its available release information. Include the original studio and release year when relevant; they are not mandatory in every film citation. The incorrect example supplies only a streaming platform, with no release date.

Error 5: Incorrect Capitalization of "directed by"

In the bibliography, "Directed by" begins a new sentence after the title, so "Directed" is capitalized but "by" is not. In footnotes, "directed by" appears mid-sentence after a comma, so neither word is capitalized.

Special Cases

Film with No Identifiable Director

Some early films, industrial films, or anonymous works lack a credited director. Omit the director element and, if known, substitute another key contributor:

(Note: A Trip to the Moon was directed by Georges Méliès, and in practice you would credit him. The template above is for genuinely uncredited works.)

Foreign-Language Film with a Translated Title

Use the original title or an established English release title. When using the original title, you may include an English translation in brackets if it aids the reader, but this is optional:

If the film is widely known by its English title in the scholarship you are engaging with (for example, Parasite rather than Gisaengchung), use the English title as the primary title and note the original-language title only if your argument requires it.

Specific Scene or Timestamp Reference

When you cite a particular scene, you may include a timestamp in the footnote. This is especially useful for close-reading assignments:

The timestamp follows the format and uses an en dash to indicate a range. The bibliography entry does not include timestamps—those belong only in footnotes pointing to specific passages.

Film in a Box Set or Collection

When citing one film from a multi-film collection, name both the individual film and the collection:

Director's Cut or Alternate Version

If you watched a version that differs from the original theatrical release, specify the version after the title:

The dates identify the original release and the release of the specific cut. Cite the version’s release date, and identify any access date separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I cite the director or the production studio as the "author"?

In Chicago Notes-Bibliography style, begin with the film title or an appropriate principal contributor, depending on your focus. A director-first bibliography entry inverts the name and adds "dir." The studio supplies publication information. If your paper focuses on a producer’s role, that contributor may lead the citation instead.

Do I need to include actors in my citation?

Only if the actors are directly relevant to your analysis. If you are writing about Cate Blanchett's performance in Tár, including "featuring Cate Blanchett" adds clarity. For general film references, the director alone is sufficient. Chicago 17 does not require a cast list.

How do I cite a film I watched in a theater?

For a current theatrical viewing, use the distributor and year without a specific format designation, or note "theatrical release" as the format:

Specifying the projection format (IMAX 70mm, 35mm, digital) can be useful for film studies papers where the viewing format is part of your analysis.

What if the same film is available on multiple streaming platforms?

Cite only the platform on which you actually watched it. If you watched The Godfather on Paramount+, cite Paramount+ as the platform—even if the film is also available on other services. Your citation documents your specific source of access.

How do I handle a film that has not yet been released on home media?

If you viewed the film at a festival or advance screening, note the event and date in lieu of a commercial format:

Validation Checklist

Before submitting your paper, verify each film citation against this checklist:

• Title is italicized — Film titles are always italicized, never placed in quotation marks (quotation marks are for short works like individual episodes).
• Bibliography entries start with the title or relevant contributor — Alphabetize title-first entries by the first significant word (ignore "A," "An," and "The"); alphabetize contributor-first entries by surname.
• "Directed by" is correctly capitalized — Capitalized at the start of a sentence in the bibliography ("Directed by"); lowercase mid-sentence in footnotes ("directed by").
• Director's name is in natural order — "Directed by Bong Joon-ho," not "Directed by Joon-ho, Bong." In director-first bibliography entries, invert the director’s name and add "dir."
• Release information identifies the version consulted — Include its release year and available publication details; add the original theatrical release information when relevant.
• Recorded format or medium is specified — DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm, or digital download. A theatrical-viewing citation may omit this designation.
• Streaming platform is named — If you watched via streaming, name the specific service (Netflix, Max, Criterion Channel, etc.).
• Online source is identified — Include a stable URL when appropriate, or identify the streaming service or database.
• Shortened footnotes use title only — After the first full citation, subsequent footnotes need only the italicized title and a period.
• Punctuation is consistent — Footnotes use commas to separate elements within parentheses and end with a period. Bibliography entries use periods between major elements.

Film Citations vs. Other Media Types

Students often confuse the citation format for films with those for television episodes, YouTube videos, or other audiovisual sources. Here are the key differences:

• Films — Titles are italicized. Entries may begin with the title or the relevant principal contributor.
• Television episodes — Episode title in quotation marks, series title italicized. Include season and episode number.
• YouTube videos — Cited like short online videos with the uploader as author, title in quotation marks, and a URL.
• Recorded performances or concerts — Cited similarly to films but with the performer as the primary contributor rather than a director.

If you are citing a television series as a whole rather than a single episode, the format closely resembles a film citation. For episode-level citations, consult the complete Chicago 17 guide for the appropriate template.

For a comprehensive overview of all source types, formatting rules, and additional examples, see our Complete Guide to Chicago 17th Edition Citations.