How to cite a film in MLA 9

In MLA, a basic film entry begins with the title. The director is added as a contributor, followed by the production company and the release date.

Works Cited format

Title of the Film. Directed by First Last, Production Company, Year.

The Last Lighthouse. Directed by Karin Lindgren, Northern Frame Pictures, 2022.

• Title. Italic, in title case.
• Director. After the words “Directed by.” You can add other contributors, such as performers or the writer, if they matter to your discussion.
• Production company. The company that made the film.
• Date. The release year.

Title first or director first?

Your focus decides what the entry starts with.

• Writing about the director’s choices: start with the director’s name, followed by the title.
• Writing about the story, the acting and the direction as a whole: start with the title.

Lindgren, Karin, director. The Last Lighthouse. Northern Frame Pictures, 2022.

In-text citation

The in-text citation is the first element of the entry. A film is a standalone work, so its title is italicized and shortened, with a leading article left out: (Last Lighthouse). If the entry starts with the director, use the director’s last name instead: (Lindgren). MLA’s page on films gives the details.

Films based on books

If the film is based on a book, MLA’s guidance is to leave the book’s author out of your entry unless that person worked on the film in a way you can identify, such as writing the screenplay.

A film you watched online

Cite it with what the site shows. For a full film on YouTube, MLA’s guidance is to use the title as it appears there and add the uploader and upload date as a second container. See citing a YouTube video in MLA.

Check before you submit

• Decide your focus first. It changes how the entry begins.
• Take the details from the credits. The film’s credits or its official page give the director and the production company.
• For APA, see citing a film in APA 7.