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Cite a film in MLA 9

We’ll detect the type and pull metadata via CrossRef (DOIs), Open Library (ISBNs), or Open Graph tags (URLs). Edit anything before copying.

Citation fields

Films raise ownership questions because the director, production company, distributor, and streaming platform can all look like creators. In MLA 9 (2021), 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.

MLA 9 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.
  • Put the title first, followed by directed by and the director name.

Worked example

MLA 9 · film

A real film formatted using the MLA 9 rules above.

Nolan, Christopher "Oppenheimer [Film]." *Universal Pictures*, 2023, www.uphe.com/movies/oppenheimer. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

Build your own MLA 9 reference

Paste a URL, DOI, or ISBN into the generator at the top of this page. It is already set to MLA 9.

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