Film Index International is the definitive online resource focusing on entertainment films and personalities. Produced in collaboration with the British Film Institute (bfi) it is based on the Summary of Film and Television (SIFT) database collated by the bfi over the past 70 years.

Film Index International provides in-depth indexing of over 125,000 films - from the first silent movies to the latest blockbusters - and biographical information for more than 800,000 personalities. Its rich content also includes coverage of international film awards and prizes as well as searchable plot summaries and full cast and crew lists.

The initial selection of records from SIFT for Film Index International is made by director. The directors selected are a) those who have made a fiction film shown theatrically that is over 50 minutes in duration, released between 1928 and 1965, and b) those who have made a fiction film over 60 minutes in duration, post-1965. There are some exceptions; for example, directors with established careers who have made nothing but short films, and directors who made feature-length documentaries. These are selected on an individual basis.

Keywords: Film history, Movie industry, Cinema studies, Hollywood, World cinema