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One-shot film

Updated: 12/11/2025, 9:27:31 AM Wikipedia source

A one-shot film (also known as a one-take film, single-take film, or continuous shot feature film) is a full-length movie filmed in one long take by a single camera, or manufactured to give the impression it was.

Tables

· Notable examples › Actual "one shot"
1982
Role(s)
57 min. (longest shot)
Notes
Béla Tarr
1990
C'est Vrai (One Hour)
Role(s)
60 min.
Notes
Robert Frank
1998
Role(s)
74 min.
Notes
Michael Rehfield
2000
Role(s)
97 min.
Notes
Mike Figgis
2002
Role(s)
Eight-episode limited series, 5–7 mins., each done in one take and partially edited with practical background effects
Notes
David Lynch
Role(s)
96 min.
Notes
Alexander Sokurov
2003
Role(s)
65 min.
Notes
Matías Bize
2007
Alternation
Role(s)
11 min
Notes
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Role(s)
85 min.
Notes
Spiros Stathoulopoulos
2008
Role(s)
81 min.
Notes
Gustavo Spolidero
2011
Reversing Circles
Role(s)
21 min.
Notes
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Role(s)
112 min. single shot in one take.
Notes
Koki Mitani
2013
Role(s)
102 min.
Notes
Ashish Avikunthak
Role(s)
134 min.
Notes
Shahram Mokri
Role(s)
87 min.
Notes
Cristóbal Arteaga
Role(s)
85 min.
Notes
Amos Gitai
Somebody Marry Me
Role(s)
98 min.
Notes
John Asher
Role(s)
98 min. single shot in one take.
Notes
Koki Mitani
2014
Role(s)
123 min.
Notes
Mohamad Issack
2015
Role(s)
140 min.
Notes
Sebastian Schipper
Anino sa likod ng buwan
Role(s)
120 min.
Notes
Jun Lana
The Story Of A Rainy Night
Role(s)
24 min
Notes
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Role(s)
142 min.
Notes
S. Narayan
2016
Role(s)
607 min.
Notes
Charlie Shackleton
Eight
Role(s)
81 min.
Notes
Peter Blackburn
Role(s)
145 min.
Notes
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Role(s)
99 min.
Notes
Podz
2017
Role(s)
74 min.
Notes
Daigo Matsui
Fourplay
Role(s)
77 min.
Notes
Dean Ronalds
Role(s)
119 min.
Notes
Thane Economou
One Shot-Fear Without Cut
Role(s)
140 min.
Notes
Haroon Rashid
Watch The Sunset
Role(s)
83 min.
Notes
Tristan Barr & Michael Gosden
Role(s)
37 min. one-take sequence
Notes
Shin'ichiro Ueda
Role(s)
103 min.
Notes
Woody Harrelson
2018
Role(s)
106.11 min
Notes
Vikram Yoganand
The Silent Pasture of Sparrows
Role(s)
20 min.
Notes
Qmars Mootab
Role(s)
90 min.
Notes
Erik Poppe
Role(s)
98 min.
Notes
Tuva Novotny
Jaalo
Role(s)
101 min
Notes
Araaj Keshav Giri
Role(s)
88 min.
Notes
Dani Levy
Role(s)
89 min.
Notes
Qasim Basir
2019
El Amor No Puede Esperar (Love Can't Wait)
Role(s)
76 min.
Notes
Juan Carlos Carrasco
Role(s)
77 min.
Notes
Gavin Michael Booth
Role(s)
83 min
Notes
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
2020
Role(s)
89 min.
Notes
Tim Dünschede
Role(s)
102 min.
Notes
Malte Wirtz
Role(s)
83 min.
Notes
Jud Cremata
2021
Role(s)
94 min.
Notes
Philip Barantini
Causalidad
Role(s)
115 min.
Notes
Who (Marcelo Politano)
Role(s)
85 min.
Notes
Don Palathara
Rendez-Vous
Role(s)
105 min.
Notes
Pablo Olmos Arrayales
Role(s)
85 min.
Notes
Elisabeth Vogler
Role(s)
6–7 min.
Notes
Frederick C.G. Borromeo
2022
Role(s)
98 min
Notes
R. Parthiban
Role(s)
90 min
Notes
Bose Venkat
Role(s)
86 min
Notes
Matías Bize
2023
Tales from the Neighborhood Café
Role(s)
41 min.
Notes
Al Hallak
The Night Inside
Role(s)
23 min
Notes
Antonio Cuesta
Role(s)
87 min.
Notes
Alex Kahuam
2024
Role(s)
88 min.
Notes
David Moreau
Role(s)
92 min.
Notes
Sofiene Mamdi
Role(s)
72 min.
Notes
Karthi Radhakrishnan
2025
Role(s)
Four-episode limited series, 51–65 mins., each done in one take
Notes
Philip Barantini
Role(s)
One 25 min. one-take episode
Notes
Seth Rogen & Evan Goldberg
Role(s)
16 min. one-take sequence.
Notes
Sean Slimak
Role(s)
101 min. single shot in one take.
Notes
Koki Mitani
One Shot with Ed Sheeran
Role(s)
60 min.
Notes
Philip Barantini
Year
Title
Length
Director
Nationality
mw- Ref.
1982
Macbeth
57 min. (longest shot)
Béla Tarr
Hungary
1990
C'est Vrai (One Hour)
60 min.
Robert Frank
France
1998
Big Monday
74 min.
Michael Rehfield
United States
2000
Timecode
97 min.
Mike Figgis
United States
2002
Rabbits
Eight-episode limited series, 5–7 mins., each done in one take and partially edited with practical background effects
David Lynch
United States
Russian Ark
96 min.
Alexander Sokurov
Russia
2003
Sábado [es]
65 min.
Matías Bize
Chile
2007
Alternation
11 min
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Iran
2007
PVC-1
85 min.
Spiros Stathoulopoulos
Colombia
2008
Still Orangutans
81 min.
Gustavo Spolidero
Brazil
2011
Reversing Circles
21 min.
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Iran
short cut [ja]
112 min. single shot in one take.
Koki Mitani
Japan
2013
Rati Chakravyuh
102 min.
Ashish Avikunthak
India
Fish & Cat
134 min.
Shahram Mokri
Iran
El triste olor de la carne
87 min.
Cristóbal Arteaga
Spain
Ana Arabia
85 min.
Amos Gitai
Israel
Somebody Marry Me
98 min.
John Asher
United States
Airport 2013 [ja]
98 min. single shot in one take.
Koki Mitani
Japan
2014
Agadam
123 min.
Mohamad Issack
India
2015
Victoria
140 min.
Sebastian Schipper
Germany
Anino sa likod ng buwan
120 min.
Jun Lana
Philippines
The Story Of A Rainy Night
24 min
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Iran
Daksha
142 min.
S. Narayan
India
2016
Paint Drying
607 min.
Charlie Shackleton
United Kingdom
Eight
81 min.
Peter Blackburn
Australia
Immortality
145 min.
Mehdi Fard Ghaderi
Iran
King Dave
99 min.
Podz
Canada
2017
Ice Cream and the Sound of Raindrops
74 min.
Daigo Matsui
Japan
Fourplay
77 min.
Dean Ronalds
United States
The Wedding Party
119 min.
Thane Economou
United States
One Shot-Fear Without Cut
140 min.
Haroon Rashid
India
Watch The Sunset
83 min.
Tristan Barr & Michael Gosden
Australia
One Cut of the Dead
37 min. one-take sequence
Shin'ichiro Ueda
Japan
Lost in London
103 min.
Woody Harrelson
United Kingdom
2018
Heegondhu Dina
min
Vikram Yoganand
India
The Silent Pasture of Sparrows
20 min.
Qmars Mootab
United States
Utøya: July 22
90 min.
Erik Poppe
Norway
Blind Spot
98 min.
Tuva Novotny
Norway
Jaalo
101 min
Araaj Keshav Giri
Nepal
Tatort: Die Musik stirbt zuletzt [de]
88 min.
Dani Levy
Switzerland
A Boy. A Girl. A Dream: Love on Election Night
89 min.
Qasim Basir
United States
2019
El Amor No Puede Esperar (Love Can't Wait)
76 min.
Juan Carlos Carrasco
Mexico
Last Call
77 min.
Gavin Michael Booth
Canada
Shonibar Bikel
83 min
Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Bangladesh
2020
Limbo [de]
89 min.
Tim Dünschede
Germany
City Lights
102 min.
Malte Wirtz
Germany
Let's Scare Julie
83 min.
Jud Cremata
United States
2021
Boiling Point
94 min.
Philip Barantini
United Kingdom
Causalidad
115 min.
Who (Marcelo Politano)
Argentina
· Notable examples › Edited to appear as "one shot"
1917
118 min.
Role(s)
Sam Mendes
Notes
United Kingdom
1964
Role(s)
485 min.
Notes
Andy Warhol
2010
Role(s)
86 min.
Notes
Gustavo Hernández
2011
Role(s)
87 min.
Notes
Chris Kentis, Laura Lau
2014
Role(s)
119 min.
Notes
Alejandro González Iñárritu
2019
Role(s)
105 min.
Notes
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn
2020
Role(s)
70 min.
Notes
Junta Yamaguchi
2021
Role(s)
97 min.
Notes
James Nunn
2022
Role(s)
92 min.
Notes
Beth de Araujo
Role(s)
100 min.
Notes
Thomas Hardiman
2023
Role(s)
114 min.
Notes
Ady Walter
2024
Role(s)
102 min.
Notes
James Nunn
Year
Title
Length
Director
Nationality
Notes
Ref.
1964
Empire
485 min.
Andy Warhol
United States
2010
The Silent House
86 min.
Gustavo Hernández
Uruguay
2011
Silent House
87 min.
Chris Kentis, Laura Lau
United States
An American remake of the 2010 Uruguayan film The Silent House.
2014
Birdman
119 min.
Alejandro González Iñárritu
United States
2019
The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open
105 min.
Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers and Kathleen Hepburn
Canada
Edited to appear as two shots, actually 12 hidden cuts. Shot on 16mm film, used "Real-Time Transitioning" camera techiniques to account for film size limits.
1917
118 min.
Sam Mendes
United Kingdom
Actually edited to appear as two shots, with the camera cutting to black as the protagonist gets knocked out half-way.
2020
Beyond the Infinite Two Minutes
70 min.
Junta Yamaguchi
Japan
2021
One Shot
97 min.
James Nunn
United Kingdom
2022
Soft and Quiet
92 min.
Beth de Araujo
United States
Medusa Deluxe
100 min.
Thomas Hardiman
United Kingdom
2023
Shttl
114 min.
Ady Walter
Ukraine
2024
One More Shot
102 min.
James Nunn
United Kingdom

References

  1. One five-minute shot and the film's opening credits precede the film's 57 minute main shot.
  2. FEENTA
    https://feenta.com/best-one-shot-one-take-movies/
  3. 1917
    https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/25/movies/1917-single-take.html
  4. Poetics of Cinema
  5. TheWrap
    https://www.thewrap.com/1917-movies-accomplished-in-one-shot-from-timecode-to-birdman-photos/
  6. walkerart.org
    https://walkerart.org/magazine/http:://walkerart.org/magazine/ten-rules-animating-the-wolf-house-cristobal-leon-and-joaquin-cocina
  7. Film Inquiry
    https://www.filminquiry.com/the-wolf-house-2018-review/
  8. The New York Times
    https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/14/movies/the-wolf-house-review.html
  9. Can't Stop the Movies
    https://web.archive.org/web/20181215223920/http://www.cantstopthemovies.com/2010/08/bela-tarr-macbeth-1982/
  10. MOMA
    https://www.moma.org/calendar/events/10069
  11. The Austin Chronicle
    https://www.austinchronicle.com/screens/1999-03-19/521609/
  12. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/aug/11/culture.features
  13. www.onderhond.com
    https://www.onderhond.com/blog/rabbits-review-david-lynch
  14. The Beat
    https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/behind-the-scenes-of-the-96-minute-shot-the-russian-ark/
  15. cinechile
    https://cinechile.cl/pelicula/sabado/
  16. Alternation ( تناوب ) by Mehdi Fard Ghaderi - Iran Drama Short Film | Viddsee
    https://www.viddsee.com/video/alternation/ko9w7
  17. NY Daily News
    http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/movie-shot-real-time-recalls-colombian-nightmare-article-1.351752
  18. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/still-orangutans-125777
  19. defcapp.ir
    http://defcapp.ir/
  20. "Mitani Koki "short cut""
    https://www.wowow.co.jp/detail/060493
  21. ArtSlant
    https://www.artslant.com/ind/articles/show/40024
  22. Variety
    https://variety.com/2013/film/global/venice-film-review-fish-cat-1200615586/
  23. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/sad-smell-flesh-el-triste-583118
  24. IndieWire
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210224224221/https://www.indiewire.com/2013/09/venice-review-amos-gitais-shot-in-one-take-ana-arabia-93938/
  25. The Malibu Times
    http://www.malibutimes.com/malibu_life/article_70b2fada-d88b-11e2-bfb7-001a4bcf887a.html
  26. Tokyo Hive
    https://www.tokyohive.com/article/2013/04/mitani-koki-to-film-another-single-cut-drama-starring-takeuchi-yuko
  27. The Hindu
    http://www.thehindu.com/features/cinema/a-record-start/article5530220.ece
  28. IndieWire
    http://www.indiewire.com/2015/02/adopt-films-picks-up-one-shot-heist-thriller-victoria-65040/
  29. Five Flavours Film Festival
    https://www.piecsmakow.pl/film.do?lang=en&id=158
  30. en.irna.ir
    https://en.irna.ir/news/81914357/Story-of-a-Rainy-Night-wins-San-Pedro-Filmfest
  31. Sify Movies
    https://web.archive.org/web/20170205111344/http://www.sify.com/movies/duniya-vijay-s-daksha-with-s-narayan-news-kannada-oehjBmhigibsi.html
  32. The Independent
    https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/bbfc-declares-paint-drying-film-a-u-after-sitting-through-all-607-minutes-a6834671.html
  33. Eight
    https://web.archive.org/web/20210225221524/https://www.thecreativeissue.com.au/one-shot-wonders-how-feature-film-eight-was-made/
  34. Immortality
    https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/rome-film-festival-director-antonio-monda-screenings-drivein-prison-spanish-steps-1201876133/
  35. Montreal Gazette
    https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/movies/podzs-king-dave-one-shot-film-premieres-at-fantasia
  36. Ice Cream and the Sound of Raindrops
    https://2017.tiff-jp.net/news/en/?p=14133
  37. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/fourplay-1098835
  38. Collider
    https://collider.com/the-wedding-party-trailer/
  39. The Times of India
    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bengali/movies/news/Haroon-Rashids-film-in-Guinness-World-Records/articleshow/13863663.cms
  40. Australian Cinematographer Magazine
    https://acmag.com.au/2017/03/01/watch-the-sunset/
  41. The Indian Express
    https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/a-cut-above-the-rest-japanese-movie-one-cut-from-the-dead-5540397/
  42. Entertainment Weekly
    https://ew.com/article/2016/12/15/woody-harrelson-lost-in-london-interview/
  43. "'Heegondhu Dina' review: This ambitious Kannada film deserves a watch for sheer audacity"
    https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/heegondhu-dina-review-ambitious-kannada-film-deserves-watch-sheer-audacity-78774
  44. No Film School
    https://nofilmschool.com/2018/12/boy-girl-dream-90-minute-single-take
  45. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/feb/19/film-reenacting-norway-utoya-massacre-premieres-in-berlin
  46. Variety
    https://variety.com/2018/film/reviews/blind-spot-review-1202962397/
  47. "Nepali Movie – Jaalo (Guinness world record holder one-shot film) – Nepal & Nepali"
    https://xnepali.net/nepali-movie-jaalo-guinness-world-record-holder-one-shot-film/
  48. Faz.net
    https://www.faz.net/aktuell/feuilleton/medien/tatort/der-schweizer-tatort-von-dani-levy-15721657.html
  49. comparison between the Swiss and Standard German versions: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRcsqnJeQZw
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRcsqnJeQZw
  50. No Film School
    https://nofilmschool.com/2018/12/boy-girl-dream-90-minute-single-take
  51. Love Can't Wait
    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5960008/
  52. Variety
    https://variety.com/2020/film/reviews/last-call-review-1234774806/
  53. Dhaka Tribune
    https://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2019/05/10/farooki-s-shonibar-bikel-selected-for-sydney-film-festival-2019
  54. Bayerischer Rundfunk
    https://www.br.de/nachrichten/kultur/limbo-one-take-thriller-kinostart-tim-duenschede-florian-halbig,Rr2CeQU
  55. Kino-Zeit.de
    https://www.kino-zeit.de/film-kritiken-trailer-streaming/lichter-der-stadt-2020
  56. Spielfilm.de
    https://www.spielfilm.de/filme/3009298/lichter-der-stadt
  57. Screen International
    https://www.screendaily.com/features/how-jud-cremata-pulled-off-a-one-shot-thriller-with-lets-scare-julie/5149655.article
  58. Film Seekers
    http://www.film-seekers.com/movie/lets-scare-julie/37
  59. 55th Karlovy Vary IFF
    https://www.kviff.com/en/programme/film/57/34875-boiling-point
  60. Market Research Telecast
    https://marketresearchtelecast.com/amazon-prime-video-premieres-causalidad-a-film-made-entirely-in-sequence-shot/228232/
  61. Cinema Express
    https://www.cinemaexpress.com/stories/news/2020/oct/19/don-palatharas-next-is-santhoshathinte-onnam-rahasyam-20875.html
  62. MediaPlayNews
    https://www.mediaplaynews.com/thriller-shot-in-one-take-rendez-vous-due-on-vod-feb-12-from-level-33/
  63. Variety
    https://variety.com/2021/film/global/tribeca-competition-roaring-20-films-boutique-sales-1234956816/
  64. YouTube
    https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqov7iTjQBsPhruvw3-UoX74tCRoqpNVp
  65. NDTV review
    https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/iravin-nizhal-review-a-single-shot-film-of-phenomenal-power-and-ambition-3163243
  66. industryhit review
    https://industryhit.com/t/indias-first-single-shot-action-movie-yuddha-kaandam-will-be-an-internationally-recognised-and-awards-winning-movie-which-will-create-a-lot-of-sensations/
  67. "Matías Bize: Los mil y un desafíos del rodaje de «El castigo»"
    https://entrance.cl/matias-bize-los-mil-y-un-desafios-del-rodaje-de-el-castigo/
  68. The Zebra
    https://thezebra.org/2023/06/20/st-elmos-movie/
  69. LINE UP Film Agency
    https://www.lineupshorts.com/la-noche-dentro
  70. "Ted Raimi Thriller 'Failure!' Snapped Up for North American Distribution at Cannes Market by Red Water Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)"
    https://variety.com/2024/film/global/ted-raimi-failure-cannes-red-water-entertainment-1236006105/
  71. Polygon
    https://www.polygon.com/horror/467217/mads-shudder-one-shot-director-explains-interview
  72. "Assemblage longest one shot feature film in the history of french cinema"
    https://www.premiere.fr/film/Assemblage/critiques
  73. "WORLD'S FIRST SINGLE SHOT WITH SINGLE CHARACTER FEATURE FILM"
    https://internationalbookofrecords.com/records/longest-single-shot-feature-film-with-single-characte
  74. Radio Times
    https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/stephen-graham-ashley-walters-adolescence-newsupdate/
  75. Variety
    https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/the-studio-one-take-episode-1236347408/
  76. Slimak, Sean ‘Outstanding Achievement in Short Script at Indie Short Fest 2024’ https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34710754/?r
    https://www.imdb.com/title/tt34710754/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk
  77. "Mitani Koki Oi,Dazai"
    https://www.wowow.co.jp/film/oidazai/
  78. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/16/one-shot-with-ed-sheeran-review-philip-barantini
  79. Architectural Record
    https://www.architecturalrecord.com/articles/3206-andy-warhol-s-empire-turns-50
  80. The Silent House
    https://www.fangoria.com/original/the-silent-house-with-director-gustavo-hern%C3%A1ndez/
  81. National Post
    https://nationalpost.com/entertainment/elizabeth-olsen-on-silent-house-and-why-shell-never-co-star-with-mary-kate-and-ashley
  82. Li, Norm (October 2019). "Long Take: Norm Li, csc (Q&A)" (PDF). Canadian Cinematographer. 11(5): 23
    http://www1.csc.ca/publications/2019/201910/IssueWeb201910.pdf
  83. The Hollywood Reporter
    https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/making-1917-how-sam-mendes-filmed-a-ticking-clock-thriller-1263469/
  84. The Guardian
    https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/03/time-travel-beyond-the-infinite-two-minutes-junta-yamaguchi
  85. Variety
    https://variety.com/2021/film/reviews/one-shot-review-1235105614/
  86. IndieWire
    https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/soft-and-quiet-trailer-one-take-film-1234773938/
  87. Variety
    https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/medusa-deluxe-review-1235335450/
  88. Deadline
    https://deadline.com/2021/09/shttl-film-shoah-saul-rubinek-museum-ukraine-1234824978/
  89. "One More Shot (2024) Review"
    https://theactionelite.com/one-more-shot-2024-review/
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