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In MLA style a film is cited like any other work with a title: you list its elements in a fixed order, and the first element depends on what your sentence is about. This guide covers the works-cited entry, the in-text version with a time stamp, and the variations for documentaries, streamed films and scenes. It follows the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), the current edition as of October 2026. The same patterns work for a film you discuss in a thesis chapter, a literature review or a journal manuscript.
The format: how to MLA cite a film
There are two accepted ways to start the entry. Choose one per source and apply it consistently.
- Title first (default). Title of work. Directed by Director, Publisher, Publication date. Use this when you discuss the film as a whole.
- Contributor first. Last name, First name, director. Title of work. Publisher, Publication date. Use this when your discussion focuses on one person’s contribution, such as the director’s choices. The contributor’s role ("director", "performer") follows the name as a descriptive label.
The elements, in order, are: title (italicised), director (or other contributors), publisher or production company, and year of release. For a streamed film, add the name of the app or service at the end. A movie, a feature film and a documentary all use this one pattern.
Examples of MLA film citations
Film as a whole, title first
Better Man. Directed by Michael Gracey, Sina Studios, 2024.
Film with the director in the author position
Trevorrow, Colin, director. Jurassic World. Universal Pictures, 2015.
Capra, Frank, director. It’s a Wonderful Life. RKO, 1946.
Film with a performer emphasised
Pratt, Chris, performer. Jurassic World. Directed by Colin Trevorrow. Universal Pictures, 2015.
Film with extra contributors after the title
It’s a Wonderful Life. Directed by Frank Capra, performance by James Stewart et al., RKO, 1946.
Streamed film
Grey Lady. Directed by John Shea, Beacon Pictures, 2017. Netflix app.
A part of a film, such as a commentary track
"Director’s Commentary." Ender’s Game, directed by Gavin Hood, Summit Entertainment, 2013.
How to cite a documentary in MLA
A documentary is cited like any other film. The entry below is a fictitious example for illustration only; the film does not exist.
The Salt Archive. Directed by Jane Example, Example Pictures, 2020.
In-text citation for a film
A parenthetical citation normally gives the first element of the entry. For a film, that is the contributor’s last name or the title, depending on how you began the entry.
- Whole film, director-first entry: (Trevorrow)
- Whole film, performer-first entry: (Pratt)
- Whole film, title-first entry: give the title in the parentheses, or name the title in your sentence and omit the parentheses.
To point to a quotation or scene, add a time stamp where a page number would go. Write hours, minutes and seconds separated by colons, read from the media player: (Trevorrow 01:05:09). With a title: (Better Man 00:01:04). If the title is already in your sentence, give only the time stamp: … as shown in the film Better Man, with the song "Rock DJ" (00:01:04). For a part of a film, use the part’s title: ("Director’s Commentary" 00:07:10).
For the wider rules on parenthetical citations see parenthetical citation, and for choosing between styles see citation styles and referencing formats.
Common errors
- Mixing the two patterns. A director-first entry carries the label "director" after the name; a title-first entry uses "Directed by" after the title. Do not combine them in one entry.
- Using a page number for a film. A time stamp replaces the page number.
- Dropping the colons in the time stamp. Write the time stamp with colons between hours, minutes and seconds, as in 00:07:10.
- Leaving out the streaming service. For a film watched through an app, name the app after the date.
- Not italicising the title. The film title is italicised in both the entry and the in-text citation; a part of a film goes in quotation marks.
- Switching the first element between citations. If the entry starts with the director, the in-text citation must start with the director too, or the reader cannot find the entry.
Style-guide edition
This guide uses the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (2021), the current edition as of October 2026.
Citing films in a thesis or manuscript
When a film is your object of study, every in-text citation to it should carry a time stamp so a reader can find the scene, and the choice between title-first and director-first should follow your argument. A chapter about a director’s technique suits the director-first entry; a chapter about several films suits title-first entries. Keep the choice consistent through the whole document and see quoting and citing sources correctly for general practice. If your work also cites AI tools, see how to cite ChatGPT and AI tools.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a movie in MLA?
Start with the title in italics, then "Directed by" and the director, the production company or distributor, and the year: Better Man. Directed by Michael Gracey, Sina Studios, 2024.
Do I put the director or the title first?
Put the title first unless your discussion focuses on the director’s (or an actor’s) contribution. In that case start with the person’s name followed by the label "director" or "performer".
How do I cite a film in MLA when I watched it on a streaming service?
Add the name of the service after the date, as in the Netflix app example above.
How do I cite a specific scene?
Use the time stamp in the in-text citation, with hours, minutes and seconds separated by colons.
Is citing a documentary different?
No. A documentary is cited like any other film, using the same pattern.
Sources
- MLA Handbook, 9th edition (Modern Language Association, 2021); style guide at https://style.mla.org/.
- Northwest Missouri State University Library, MLA: Media (https://libguides.nwmissouri.edu/mla/media), updated 8 July 2026, read 28 October 2026.
- University of Auckland Library, MLA 9th: Film and video (https://auckland.libguides.com/mla/film-video), updated 14 July 2026, read 28 October 2026.
- University of Queensland Library, MLA 9th: Film and television (https://guides.library.uq.edu.au/referencing/mla9/film-television), updated 15 October 2026, read 28 October 2026.
