How to cite a film in Chicago

Chicago style film citation

To cite a film in a reference entry in Chicago style 17th edition include the following elements:

  1. Director(s) of the film: Give first the last name, then the name as presented in the source (e. g. Watson, John). For two directors, reverse only the first name, followed by ‘and’ and the second name in normal order (e. g. Watson, John, and John Watson). End with 'dir' or 'dirs' respectively.
  2. Title of the film: Give the title as presented in the source.
  3. Place of publication: Give the place of publication of the source.
  4. Publisher: Give the publisher name in full.
  5. Year of publication: Give the year of publication as presented in the source.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a film in Chicago style 17th edition:

Director(s) of the film. Title of the film. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the Chicago style guidelines in action:

Examples

A film with one director

Tarantino, Quentin, dir. Kill Bill: Volume 1. Los Angeles, CA: Miramax, 2003.

A film with one director

Cameron, James, dir. Titanic. Los Angeles, CA: Paramount Pictures, 1997.

Automatic citations in seconds

Alternative to