How to Cite a Documentary in Chicago (17th edition)
Learn how to cite documentary films and non-fiction films in Chicago format (17th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.
Chicago Bibliography Format
Here is the standard Chicago format for citing a documentary in your bibliography:
Director Last Name, First Name, dir. Title of Documentary. Place: Distributor, Year. Documentary.
Chicago Example for a Documentary
A complete Chicago reference for a documentary, formatted by the official Chicago CSL style definition — the same engine that powers the generator on this site:
Ferreira, Bruno, dir. 2021. Paper Trails. Documentary. Northlight Films. 1 hr., 34 min.
Matching in-text citation: (Ferreira 2021)
Chicago In-Text Citation
Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:
Parenthetical
(Director Year)
Narrative
Director (Year) investigates...
Key Chicago Formatting Rules
- Italicize the documentary title.
- List the director as the primary creator with the dir. abbreviation.
- Include place, distributor, and year, then the medium (Documentary).
- Name the streaming platform if you watched it online.
Step-by-Step Guide
- Gather source information: Collect the author name, title, publication date, and URL or DOI for your documentary.
- Format the reference: Arrange the elements following the Chicago (17th edition) template shown above.
- Create the in-text citation: Add a parenthetical or narrative citation in your paper where you reference this source.
- Add to your bibliography: Include the full formatted citation at the end of your paper.
- Double-check formatting: Verify italics, punctuation, capitalization, and hanging indents match Chicago requirements.
Evidence and review notes
Worked examples are generated by citeproc from the published CSL definition, not written by a language model. Editorial guidance and sources in this section were reviewed on 2026-08-14.
CSL style record: chicago.csl
Editorial sources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a documentary in Chicago?
- To cite a documentary in Chicago (17th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
- What is the Chicago format for a documentary citation?
- The Chicago format for a documentary is: Director Last Name, First Name, dir. Title of Documentary. Place: Distributor, Year. Documentary.
- What does the in-text citation look like for a documentary in Chicago?
- In Chicago, the in-text citation for the example above is (Director Year)
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