Movie citation generator
Cite any movie, film or documentary in any citation style. Search by title.
or fill in the details below
How to cite a movie
A movie citation takes three steps. Search by title, or paste an IMDb or Letterboxd link.
Step 1
Search for the movie
Type the title and pick the right film from the results. Remakes often share a title, so check the year and poster. A video posted online goes in the YouTube citation generator.
Step 2
Check the details
We fill in the director, the year and the production companies. Add a timestamp if you quote a line.
Step 3
Copy your citation
Add the reference entry to your list, and use the in-text citation in your paper.
How to cite a movie in APA
An APA movie citation gives the director, the year, the title in italics, [Film] and the production company. It doesn’t name the streaming service.
Format
Director, D. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company.
Example
Bong, J. (Director). (2019). Parasite [Film]. Barunson E&A.
In-text citation, with a timestamp
Parenthetical: (Bong, 2019, 1:14:05)
Narrative: Bong (2019, 1:14:05)
Several companies
Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An inconvenient truth [Film]. Participant; Lawrence Bender Productions.
Separate production companies with a semicolon.
How to cite a movie in MLA
An MLA movie citation starts with the title in italics, then Directed by, the production company and the year. Start with a person only when your paper focuses on them.
Format
Title of Film. Directed by Name, Production Company, Year.
Example
Parasite. Directed by Joon-ho Bong, Barunson E&A, 2019.
In-text citation, with a timestamp
Parenthetical: (Parasite 1:14:05)
How to cite a movie in Chicago
Chicago starts with the director, then the title in italics, the company and the year. It can add how you watched it.
Bibliography
Bong, Joon-ho, dir. Parasite. Barunson E&A, 2019.
Footnote, with a timestamp
Parasite, directed by Joon-ho Bong (Barunson E&A, 2019), at 1:14:05.
How to cite a documentary
A documentary is cited like any film, with its director and production companies.
APA
Guggenheim, D. (Director). (2006). An inconvenient truth [Film]. Participant; Lawrence Bender Productions.
MLA
An Inconvenient Truth. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, Participant / Lawrence Bender Productions, 2006.
How to cite a movie on Netflix or another streaming service
Cite the film, not the service. APA and MLA leave the streaming service out; Chicago can name it at the end.
Chicago, watched on Netflix
Guggenheim, Davis, dir. An Inconvenient Truth. Participant; Lawrence Bender Productions, 2006. Netflix.
A series made by a streaming service, like a Netflix original, is cited with the service as the production company.
How to cite a scene with a timestamp
A film has no page numbers. When you quote a line or describe a scene, the timestamp shows where it happens.
APA
Add the time after the year: (Bong, 2019, 1:14:05).
MLA
Add the time after the title, with no comma: (Parasite 1:14:05).
Hours, minutes, seconds
Write the time the way the player shows it: 1:14:05 is one hour, 14 minutes and 5 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a movie in APA?
Give the director’s last name and initials with (Director), the year, the title in italics, [Film] and the production company. In the text, cite the director and year, for example (Bong, 2019).
How do I cite a movie in MLA?
Start with the title in italics, then Directed by and the director’s name, the production company and the year. In the text, cite the title.
Do I include Netflix or the streaming service?
Not in APA or MLA: cite the film itself. Chicago can add the service or the format, like DVD, at the end.
How do I cite a film that isn’t in English?
Give the original title, then the English title in square brackets. Add the English title in the form under More options.
What if two films have the same title?
Search results show the year and poster, so pick the one you watched. Remakes are cited with their own director and year.
How do I cite a TV show or a YouTube video?
A TV episode or series is cited differently from a film. A video posted online is cited with the YouTube citation generator, linked above.
Is this movie citation generator free?
Yes. It’s free with no signup, and the movies you cite here go into the same list as the main Citation Generator.