How to Cite a Movie in APA

• Hannah Berry (Ph.D.)
• Published on 08/26/2025

Citing films in APA format requires a systematic approach so that the sources can be easily determined by the readers. Films are unique in that they have many contributors such as directors, producers, writers, and producers themselves. In APA (7th edition), the director holds the author position, while the production companies are stated in the source section of the reference. This article explains how to cite a movie in APA format, with examples, including English and foreign language films.

General Rules for Citing a Film

• Author Element – In APA, the film director is to be referenced as the author. The director’s surname appears first, followed by their initials. After the name, include the title in parentheses with the format “(Director).” This emphasizes the creative contribution of the director as the author of the film.
• Year of Release – After the author element, the year of release of the film is placed in round brackets and followed by a period. This allows readers to differentiate between the specific edition of the film, as it is important for films that can be remade or have many releases over different years.
• Title of the Movie – The title of the movie is italicized to distinguish it from the rest of the reference. The first word of the title, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns are capitalized. If the film’s title is not in English, give the original title first. A translation into English should then be provided in square brackets directly after the original title. This makes the citation easier to understand for both readers who have seen the original title and readers who have only heard the translated title.
• Description of Format – Following the title, include the medium of the work in square brackets. When citing movies, the proper label is “[Film].” This indicates the reference as a motion picture and sets it apart from other media like television programs, YouTube videos, or podcasts.
• Source Element – The source element of a film citation is made up of the film production companies or company that produced the film. Separate each name of their multiple companies using semicolons if there are more than one. Production companies are referred to as the publishers of the film because they are the ones who introduce the work to the public. In the case of a film released by a streaming platform, e.g., Netflix or Disney+, the name of the platform is provided in place of a traditional production company.

There are two forms of in-text citations:

• Parenthetical citation: (Author, Year)
• Narrative citation: Author (Year)

Citing Movies

For English-language films, the director is used as the author. This is to ensure author clarity because the director is considered to be the creative head.

Citation	Spielberg, S. (Director). (2015). Bridge of spies [Film]. DreamWorks Pictures; Touchstone Pictures; Studio Babelsberg; 20th Century Fox.
Structure	Surname of Director, Initial. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company 1; Production Company 2; Production Company 3; Production Company 4.

In-Text Citation – Parenthetical 

Example	(Spielberg, 2015)
Structure	(Author, Year)

In-Text Citation – Narrative

Example	Spielberg (2015)
Structure	Author (Year)

Movies Released on Streaming Platforms

When a film is released only on a streaming platform, the streaming platform is provided as the source in the reference.

Citation	Fincher, D. (Director). (2020). Mank [Film]. Netflix.
Structure	Surname of Director, Initial. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Streaming Service.

In-Text Citation – Parenthetical 

Example	(Fincher, 2020)
Structure	(Author, Year)

In-Text Citation – Narrative

Example	Fincher (2020)
Structure	Author (Year)

Movies in Another Language

For a non-English movie, APA requires both the title in its original form and translation. The translation appears in square brackets between the original title and the description of format.

Citation	Meirelles, F. (Director). (2002). Cidade de Deus [City of God] [Film]. O2 Filmes; Videofilmes; Globo Filmes.
Structure	Surname of Director, Initial. (Director). (Year). Original title [Translated Title] [Film]. Production Company 1; Production Company 2; Production Company 3.

In-Text Citation – Parenthetical 

Example	(Meirelles, 2002)
Structure	(Author, Year)

In-Text Citation – Narrative

Example	Meirelles (2002)
Structure	Author (Year)

Use Original Release Year, Not Re-release Dates: Whenever a movie has been re-released into theaters or remastered for home release, always cite the original release year. Doing so allows the reader to identify the film within its own era. It is not necessary to include later editions unless specifically pertinent to your argument. Be Certain to Maintain Consistency Between In-text Citations and Reference List: The surname of the director (or producer, if that applies) and year must be identical in both the reference list entry and the in-text citations. Minor differences, even slight variations in spelling or exclusion of initials, will confuse the reader. Do Not Include Performers in the Reference: Performers like narrators or voice performers, or actors are not included in the reference list citation of films. APA wants to emphasize the director as the author.