On this page
Updated . Example details checked against Lady Bird (2017), written and directed by Greta Gerwig, released by A24.
The Harvard format
Pattern
Title of film (Year) Directed by Initial. Surname. [Feature film]. Production company.
- Title first, in italics, with minimal capitals; a name keeps its capitals.
- Director as initials and surname after “Directed by”.
- [Feature film] in square brackets, then the production or distribution company.
- Year of first release, in parentheses straight after the title.
A real example
Reference list entry
Lady Bird (2017) Directed by G. Gerwig. [Feature film]. A24.
In-text citation
(Lady Bird, 2017, 01:12:30)
When details are missing
- A scene: give the time in the citation: (Lady Bird, 2017, 01:12:30).
- A documentary or short: describe it in the brackets: [Documentary], [Short film].
- Watched on a streaming service: end with Available at: and the service’s name in place of the company, then (Accessed: day month year).
The rules for a missing author, date or page in every style are in no author, date or page.
Common mistakes
- The director first. Cite Them Right starts film references with the title.
- The director’s full first name. Initials only: Directed by G. Gerwig.
- Netflix as the production company. Name the service only in the streaming form, after Available at:.
Or let Format do it.
Choose Film and fill in the title, director, studio and year, plus the streaming service if you watched it on one. Format writes the Reference list entry and the in-text citation in Harvard, exactly as shown above, and builds the Reference list page when you export to Word or PDF. Harvard is part of Pro, $4 a month or $29 a year; MLA and APA are free.
Questions
How do I cite a film in the text?
The title in italics and the year: (Lady Bird, 2017). If you name the film in your sentence, the year alone can follow it.
Do I need [Feature film]?
Yes, in the print form; it tells the reader what kind of work it is.
More citation guides
The same source in other styles
Similar sources in Harvard
Every source kind is on the Harvard page, and every style is on How to cite.