How to Cite a Movie in MLA

• Tomas Elliott (Ph.D.)
• Published on 02/25/2025
• Updated on04/11/2025

Referring to a movie in Modern Language Association (MLA) style format means giving certain details about the movie, like its name, director, contributors, production or distributor company, and release date. If there are multiple versions of the movie, used in a citation, used version must be mentioned. Below is a step-by-step explanation of how to cite a movie in different situations.

BASIC FORMAT FOR CITING A MOVIE 

• Film Title – The movie title is to be italicized so that it stands out from the other sources.
• Directed by Director’s Name – The director’s name is also an important aspect as they have overall control over the vision of the film and how it is implemented.
• Performances by Key Performers (if applicable) – The key actors’ or performers’ names might be included if applicable to the discussion or reference.
• Version (if any) – In case of quoting a particular version of the movie, e.g., director’s cut or extended version, mention it.
• Production Company/Distributor – The distributing or producing company should be mentioned, as it is the source of reference.
• Year of Release – The year of release is context-providing and also differentiates between various adaptations or remakes of the same movie.

Citation	Casablanca. Directed by Michael Curtiz, performances by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, Warner Bros., 1942.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, performances by Key Performers (if relevant), Production Company, Year of Release.

Citation	The Godfather. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, performances by Marlon Brando and Al Pacino, Paramount Pictures, 1972.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, performances by Key Performers (if relevant), Production Company, Year of Release.

CITING A MOVIE FROM AN ONLINE STREAMING SERVICE

If a film is accessed from an online streaming platform, the platform name should be cited. The standard format is:

• Film Title – The title of the film should be in italics.
• Directed by Director’s Name – The director’s name should be used since the director is usually the main creator of the work.
• Production Company – The company that distributed or produced the film should be stated.
• Year of Release – The year the movie was released has to be included.
• Streaming Service – The name of the streaming service on which the film was streamed has to be italicized.
• URL (if applicable) – If given, the actual link to the film has to be included.

Citation	Roma. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, Esperanto Filmoj, 2018. Netflix.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, Production Company, Year of Release. Streaming Service.

Citation	Nomadland. Directed by Chloé Zhao, Searchlight Pictures, 2020. Hulu.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, Production Company, Year of Release. Streaming Service.

If the film is streamed on a website such as YouTube, record the uploader’s name (if different from the production company), upload date, and URL.

Citation	Nosferatu. Directed by F. W. Murnau, Prana Film, 1922. YouTube, uploaded by Classic Horror Films, 5 Feb. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?s=312A098rtB.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, Production Company, Year of Release. Streaming Service, uploaded by Uploader’s Name, Upload Date, URL.

CITING A MOVIE WITH MULTIPLE VERSIONS

Some films have multiple versions, such as director’s cuts, extended versions, or theatrical versions. If citing a specific version, include it in the citation.

Citation	Apocalypse Now. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, Redux Version, Zoetrope Studios, 2001.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, Version, Production Company, Year of Release.

Citation	Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Directed by Peter Jackson, Extended Edition, New Line Cinema, 2001.
Structure	Film Title. Directed by Director’s Name, Version, Production Company, Year of Release.

CITING A MOVIE WITH A FOCUS ON A CONTRIBUTOR

If one particular contributor, such as the screenwriter or composer, is being mainly addressed, their name can be mentioned at the start of the citation.

Citation	Tarantino, Quentin, director. Pulp Fiction. Miramax, 1994.
Structure	Contributor’s Name, role. Film Title. Production Company, Year of Release.

Citation	Spielberg, Steven, director. Schindler’s List. Universal Pictures, 1993.
Structure	Contributor’s Name, role. Film Title. Production Company, Year of Release.

Cite Dubbing or Translations When Needed: If quoting a dubbed version of a foreign-language film, indicate the language version. This is particularly true for films available in more than one language, as translations might be slightly different from the original. Provide a Specific Scene or Time Stamp: When referencing a specific scene or moment in a movie, it is helpful to include a time stamp in parentheses. This enables readers to find the precise location being referenced, which is especially useful for close analysis. Citing a Film in Scripted Format: In citing a film in a script or screenplay format, ensure that the citation style reflects its script format. This applies when citing films in screenwriting, production analysis, or adaptation studies. Utilize Timestamps to Cite In-Text: Since films have no page numbers, the timestamp must be utilized to cite precisely where on the film is being quoted. The timestamp must be in the format (Author’s Last Name hours:min:seconds-hours:min:seconds). Where the movie is under an hour, then minutes and seconds are valid. There will be accuracy in quoting a scene by this measure. (Director’s Last Name 01:12:30-01:14:15) – Refers to material between 1 hour, 12 minutes, and 30 seconds and 1 hour, 14 minutes, and 15 seconds.(Director’s Last Name 05:30-07:45) – Refers to material between 5 minutes, 30 seconds and 7 minutes, 45 seconds. Acknowledge Different Contributors for Accuracy: Films also have different contributors besides the director. Where possible, other credits such as “performance by,” “narrated by,” “created by,” or “edited by” should be included. This gives clarity to the citation and ensures that notable contributors are recognized.