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 title as it appears on screen, not a translated or alternate marketing title.
• Director — Preceded by "directed by" in both footnotes and bibliography. In footnotes, use natural order (First Last); in the bibliography, the entry is alphabetized by title, so the director's name stays in natural order as well.
• 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 name as it appeared in the original release credits.
• Year — The original theatrical or broadcast release year. If you viewed a restored or re-released version, note both dates.
• Format or medium — How you accessed the film: DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm, digital download, etc.

A key distinction in Chicago style: unlike books, films are listed by title first in the bibliography, not by the director's last name. This is because films are collaborative works, and Chicago treats the title as the primary access point. The director appears immediately after the title, preceded by "Directed by."

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 produced and 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, include both the original studio and the streaming platform (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, cite the original year and note the platform or edition through which you viewed it:

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 title as it appears in the opening credits. 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. End with the format. After the closing parenthesis, add a comma and then the format: DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm print, or digital download.
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. The bibliography entry for a film starts with the title, not the director's name. This is unlike books, where you start with the author's last name.
2. Follow with "Directed by" and the director's name. End this element with a period.
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 format followed by a period.

Common Errors

These mistakes appear frequently in student papers. Compare each incorrect version with the correct one:

Error 1: Listing the Director First in the Bibliography

Chicago bibliography entries for films are alphabetized by title, not by director. The director's name follows the title in natural order, preceded by "Directed by." The only exception is when your paper analyzes a director's body of work and you want to group their films together—but even then, you should note this deviation and be consistent throughout your bibliography.

Error 2: Missing the Format or Medium

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. Always specify how you watched the film.

Error 3: Using a URL for a Streaming Film

Unlike websites or online articles, streaming film URLs are not stable, shareable, or useful for retrieval. The platform name plus "streaming video" is sufficient. A reader who knows the title and platform can find the film.

Error 4: Omitting the Original Year for a Re-Released Film

Always include the original studio and release year. The streaming platform is supplementary access information, not a replacement for the historical publication data.

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. This format is for genuinely uncredited works.)

Foreign-Language Film with a Translated Title

Use the title in the original language as the primary 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 dual date (1982/2007) indicates the original release and the re-release year of the specific cut.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

In Chicago Notes-Bibliography style, films are cited by title, with the director listed as the primary contributor after the title. The studio functions like the publisher of a book—it is part of the publication information, not the authorial credit. If your paper focuses on a producer's role (for example, analyzing Val Lewton's horror films at RKO), you may add "produced by" after the director, but the director still comes first unless there is no credited director.

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 — Not with the director's name. Alphabetize by the first significant word of the title (ignore "A," "An," and "The").
• "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." Since films are alphabetized by title, the director's name does not need to be inverted.
• Original year is included — Even if you watched the film on a modern streaming platform, include the original theatrical release year.
• Format or medium is specified — DVD, Blu-ray, streaming video, 35mm, digital download, or theatrical release.
• Streaming platform is named — If you watched via streaming, name the specific service (Netflix, Max, Criterion Channel, etc.).
• No URL for streaming films — Platform name plus "streaming video" is sufficient. URLs for streaming content are ephemeral and not required.
• 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 — Cited by title, italicized. Director is the primary 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.