How do I cite a documentary in Turabian?

To cite a documentary in Turabian (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.

What does the in-text citation look like for a documentary in Turabian?

In Turabian, the in-text citation for the example above is (Director Year)

How to Cite a Documentary in Turabian (9th edition)

Learn how to cite documentary films and non-fiction films in Turabian format (9th edition). This guide includes the reference list format, in-text citation examples, and key formatting rules.

Turabian Bibliography Format

Here is the standard Turabian format for citing a documentary in your bibliography:

Director Last Name, First Name, dir. Title of Documentary. Place: Distributor, Year. Documentary.

Turabian Example for a Documentary

A complete Turabian reference for a documentary, formatted by the official Turabian 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)

Turabian In-Text Citation

Use one of these formats when referencing this source within your paper:

Parenthetical

(Director Year)

Narrative

Director (Year) investigates...

Key Turabian Formatting Rules

Italicize the documentary title and name the director with dir.
Include place, distributor, year, and the medium (Documentary).
Name the streaming platform if watched online.
Follows Chicago Notes-Bibliography format.

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 Turabian (9th 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 Turabian 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: turabian.csl

Editorial sources

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I cite a documentary in Turabian?: To cite a documentary in Turabian (9th edition), include the author, title, date, and source location. Use our free citation generator for automatic formatting.
What is the Turabian format for a documentary citation?: The Turabian 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 Turabian?: In Turabian, the in-text citation for the example above is (Director Year)