Cite a film in Chicago (author-date)
Films raise ownership questions because the director, production company, distributor, and streaming platform can all look like creators. In Chicago (author-date) (17th ed.), the director usually anchors the citation, while the studio or distributor identifies the release. Add the film title in italics, the year, the viewing format when relevant, and a URL for streaming copies.
Chicago (author-date) rules for a film
- Director is usually the creator in the author position.
- Year is the original release year for the version you watched.
- Film title is italicized.
- Studio or distributor identifies the release.
- Add the format, such as theatrical film or streaming video, and a URL for streaming copies.
- Use director-first entries for reference lists.
Worked example
Chicago (author-date) · filmA real film formatted using the Chicago (author-date) rules above.
Nolan, Christopher. 2023. "Oppenheimer [Film]." Universal Pictures. accessed January 15, 2025. https://www.uphe.com/movies/oppenheimer.
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