# Letterboxd Film Pages Scraper (`parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper`) Actor

Scrapes Letterboxd film pages by slug or keyword search and returns each film as a flat row with title, year, director, rating, genres, runtime, and metadata. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [ParseForge](https://apify.com/parseforge) (community)
- **Categories:** Videos, Other, Social media
- **Stats:** 7 total users, 4 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $14.00 / 1,000 result items

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.
Since this Actor supports Apify Store discounts, the price gets lower the higher subscription plan you have.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

Actors are web data automations that power AI and operations. They run on the Apify platform to scrape websites, process data, connect APIs, and automate workflows.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.
Actors are written with capital "A".

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.
The best way to integrate Actors is as follows.

- **AI agents and MCP clients** — the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/integrations/mcp.md) at `https://mcp.apify.com` (remote, streamable HTTP, OAuth on first use).
- **Agentic workflows and local Actor development** — [Agent Skills](https://apify.com/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) with the [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): `npm install -g apify-cli`, then `apify login`.
- **JavaScript/TypeScript projects** — the official [JS/TS client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md): `npm install apify-client`.
- **Python projects** — the official [Python client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md): `pip install apify-client`.
- **Any other language** — the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md).

For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below.

For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt).

# README

[![ParseForge](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ParseForge/apify-assets/main/banner.jpg)](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp)

### Letterboxd Film Pages Scraper

**Scrape Letterboxd film pages by slug or keyword search, up to a million per run.** Each film comes with its title, year, director, rating, genres, runtime, and full metadata. No API key required. Export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML.

Letterboxd has no public API for film data, so building a movie dataset means manual copying or writing a custom scraper. This Actor reads the public film pages directly, either by exact slug or by keyword search, and returns each match in one flat, predictable schema. You control how many films to collect, and the filters run as each page is read so only complete records land in your dataset.

| Who uses it | What they scrape Letterboxd for |
|---|---|
| Film researchers | Build a catalog of films by director, genre, or year for analysis. |
| Data journalists | Track rating distributions and trends across filmographies. |
| Recommendation engine builders | Gather film metadata to seed a movie recommendation model. |
| Letterboxd power users | Export your watchlist or a director's filmography for offline sorting. |

### What it does

This Actor collects Letterboxd film pages by slug or keyword search and returns each film as a flat row with its title, year, director, rating, genres, runtime, and metadata.

- 🔍 **Lookup by slug:** Feed it one or more Letterboxd film slugs (the URL part, like `inception` or `parasite-2019`) and get back the full page data for each.
- 🔎 **Search by keyword:** Type a title, director, or cast name and the Actor runs Letterboxd's own search, then fetches every matching film page up to your maxItems limit.

Results export to CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML, or straight from the API.

### What you can do with Letterboxd data

**📊 Build a director filmography dataset.**

A film researcher enters a director's name as a keyword, sets maxItems to 200, and exports a CSV of every film with its rating, year, and genres to analyze career patterns.

**🎯 Track genre rating trends.**

A data journalist searches for a genre keyword like 'noir', collects 5,000 films, and plots the average rating by decade to see how audience tastes shifted.

**🤖 Seed a movie recommendation engine.**

An ML engineer scrapes 100,000 film pages by searching popular keywords, then uses the genres, runtime, and rating fields as features for a collaborative filtering model.

**📋 Export a personal watchlist for sorting.**

A Letterboxd user copies the slugs from their watchlist URL, pastes them into the Actor, and downloads a spreadsheet to sort by rating, year, or runtime offline.

### Why choose this scraper

|  | What you get |
|---|---|
| **No API needed** | Reads public film pages directly, no registration or API key. |
| **Two input modes** | Fetch by exact slug for known films, or search by keyword to discover. |
| **Flat, predictable schema** | Every film returns the same fields, ready for CSV, JSON, Excel, or XML. |
| **Scalable** | Collect up to 1,000,000 films in a single run. |

### How it compares

This Actor focuses on film page metadata, while the competitors below scrape reviews or combine reviews with film data.

| Feature | ParseForge | Letterboxd Film Reviews Scraper | Letterboxd Film Reviews Scraper - Low-cost💲🔥🎬⭐ | Letterboxd Movies & Reviews Scraper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrapes film page metadata (title, year, director, rating, genres, runtime) | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Yes |
| Lookup by film slug | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Keyword search for films | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| Scrapes user reviews and ratings | Not listed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Returns flat, predictable schema for every film | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |
| No API key or login required | Yes | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed |

### Configure the run

Drive the Actor from film slugs, a keyword query, or both, and set a maximum number of films so the run stops when you have enough. The Input tab lists every parameter.

A first run with the defaults:

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "lookup",
  "slugs": "inception\nparasite-2019\nthe-godfather\nthe-dark-knight\npulp-fiction\n2001-a-space-odyssey\nthere-will-be-blood\nthe-godfather-part-ii\nspirited-away\nin-the-mood-for-love\ngoodfellas\nfight-club\nthe-shawshank-redemption\nthe-empire-strikes-back\nblade-runner-2049\noppenheimer\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king",
  "query": "godfather"
}
```

A larger pull:

```json
{
  "maxItems": 200,
  "mode": "lookup",
  "slugs": "inception\nparasite-2019\nthe-godfather\nthe-dark-knight\npulp-fiction\n2001-a-space-odyssey\nthere-will-be-blood\nthe-godfather-part-ii\nspirited-away\nin-the-mood-for-love\ngoodfellas\nfight-club\nthe-shawshank-redemption\nthe-empire-strikes-back\nblade-runner-2049\noppenheimer\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king",
  "query": "godfather"
}
```

### Pricing

Pay-per-result: **$0.01867 per result** collected. You pay only for the results written to your dataset.

| Results collected | Approximate cost |
|---|---|
| 100 results | $1.87 |
| 1,000 results | $18.67 |
| 10,000 results | $186.70 |

New Apify accounts start with $5 in free credit.

### Free users

Free-plan runs return up to 10 results as a preview. [Upgrade your Apify plan](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp) to collect up to 1,000,000 results per run.

### Run it

1. [Create a free Apify account with $5 in credit](https://console.apify.com/sign-up?fpr=vmoqkp).
2. Open the [Letterboxd Film Pages Scraper](https://apify.com/parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper?fpr=vmoqkp).
3. Set your inputs and any filters, then click **Start**.
4. Export the results as CSV, Excel, JSON, or XML from the **Dataset** tab.

Run it programmatically through the [Apify API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2) (`run-sync-get-dataset-items`) or the [ApifyClient](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js) for JavaScript and Python.

### Use with AI agents (MCP)

Give an AI agent live access to Letterboxd through the Model Context Protocol. Add the Actor to Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client:

```bash
claude mcp add --transport http apify "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper"
```

Then prompt it in plain language to run the scraper and read back the results.

### Troubleshooting

**Why am I getting no results from a keyword search?**

Check that your query is spelled correctly and is not too specific. Try a broader term, like a director's last name instead of a full film title. Also confirm you set maxItems to a number greater than zero.

**Why are some slugs returning no data?**

The slug may be incorrect or the film page may have moved. Verify the slug by visiting `https://letterboxd.com/film/your-slug/` in a browser. If the page loads, the Actor will scrape it.

**The run is taking a long time. Is that normal?**

Yes, especially for large maxItems values. The Actor respects Letterboxd's servers by spacing out requests. For 10,000 films, expect the run to take a while. You can always lower maxItems for a faster sample.

**Why do I get fewer results than my maxItems setting?**

The search may have returned fewer total films than your maxItems value. Try a broader keyword or check that you are not hitting the end of the search results.

**Can I resume a run if it fails?**

Apify automatically retries failed requests. If the whole run fails, check your input for invalid slugs or network issues, then start a new run. The Actor does not support resuming from a specific point.

### FAQ

| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is a Letterboxd film slug? | The slug is the last part of a film's URL on Letterboxd. For example, in `https://letterboxd.com/film/inception/`, the slug is `inception`. Some slugs include a year to disambiguate, like `parasite-2019`. |
| Can I scrape reviews with this Actor? | No, this Actor scrapes the film page itself: title, year, director, rating, genres, runtime, and similar metadata. For reviews, use the Letterboxd Film Reviews Scraper. |
| How many films can I scrape in one run? | You can set maxItems up to 1,000,000. The Actor stops when it reaches that number or when there are no more results for your search. |
| Does search mode return the same fields as lookup mode? | Yes. Both modes fetch the full film page and return the same flat schema, so you can mix slugs and keyword searches in separate runs and merge the datasets. |
| Do I need a Letterboxd account or API key? | No. The Actor reads the public film pages that anyone can view in a browser. No login, no API key, no OAuth. |
| What export formats are supported? | You can export your dataset as CSV, JSON, Excel, XML, or RSS from the Apify platform. |
| Can I filter by rating or year inside the Actor? | The Actor collects every film that matches your slugs or search query. To filter by rating or year, export the dataset and sort or filter in your spreadsheet or script. |
| How does keyword search work? | It sends your query to Letterboxd's own search endpoint, then follows the result links to fetch each film page. The search matches against titles, directors, and cast names. |
| Is this faster than the Letterboxd API? | Letterboxd does not offer a public API for film data, so this Actor is the fastest way to get structured film data without writing your own scraper. |
| Can I scrape a list of films from a Letterboxd list URL? | Not directly. This Actor takes slugs or a search keyword. To scrape a list, copy the slugs from the list page and paste them into the slugs field in lookup mode. |
| What happens if a slug is misspelled? | The Actor will try to fetch the page. If Letterboxd returns a 404, that slug is skipped and the run continues with the next one. |

### Related actors

Browse the full [ParseForge collection](https://apify.com/parseforge?fpr=vmoqkp) for more scrapers.

🆘 **Need help?** Email parseforge@protonmail.com with your run ID, your input, and what you expected.

⚠️ **Disclaimer.** This Actor is unofficial and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Letterboxd Limited. It collects only publicly available data. You are responsible for using the collected data in compliance with the source's terms of service and applicable data-protection laws, including GDPR, CCPA, and PIPL. Do not use it to collect personal data unlawfully.

# Actor input Schema

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

How many films to collect per run.

## `mode` (type: `string`):

Choose 'lookup' to fetch films by slug, or 'search' to find films by keyword (title, director, etc).

## `slugs` (type: `string`):

Lookup mode only. Letterboxd film slugs (URL part). One per line. Examples: `inception`, `parasite-2019`, `the-godfather`.

## `query` (type: `string`):

Search mode only. Free-text query matched against Letterboxd's film index (title, director, cast). Paginates via cursor — set maxItems to as many as you need.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "lookup",
  "slugs": "inception\nparasite-2019\nthe-godfather\nthe-dark-knight\npulp-fiction\n2001-a-space-odyssey\nthere-will-be-blood\nthe-godfather-part-ii\nspirited-away\nin-the-mood-for-love\ngoodfellas\nfight-club\nthe-shawshank-redemption\nthe-empire-strikes-back\nblade-runner-2049\noppenheimer\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king",
  "query": "godfather"
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `overview` (type: `string`):

No description

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "mode": "lookup",
    "slugs": `inception
parasite-2019
the-godfather
the-dark-knight
pulp-fiction
2001-a-space-odyssey
there-will-be-blood
the-godfather-part-ii
spirited-away
in-the-mood-for-love
goodfellas
fight-club
the-shawshank-redemption
the-empire-strikes-back
blade-runner-2049
oppenheimer
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king`,
    "query": "godfather"
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "maxItems": 10,
    "mode": "lookup",
    "slugs": """inception
parasite-2019
the-godfather
the-dark-knight
pulp-fiction
2001-a-space-odyssey
there-will-be-blood
the-godfather-part-ii
spirited-away
in-the-mood-for-love
goodfellas
fight-club
the-shawshank-redemption
the-empire-strikes-back
blade-runner-2049
oppenheimer
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers
the-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king""",
    "query": "godfather",
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "maxItems": 10,
  "mode": "lookup",
  "slugs": "inception\\nparasite-2019\\nthe-godfather\\nthe-dark-knight\\npulp-fiction\\n2001-a-space-odyssey\\nthere-will-be-blood\\nthe-godfather-part-ii\\nspirited-away\\nin-the-mood-for-love\\ngoodfellas\\nfight-club\\nthe-shawshank-redemption\\nthe-empire-strikes-back\\nblade-runner-2049\\noppenheimer\\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-fellowship-of-the-ring\\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-two-towers\\nthe-lord-of-the-rings-the-return-of-the-king",
  "query": "godfather"
}' |
apify call parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,parseforge/letterboxd-films-scraper"
        }
    }
}

```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/Dnsr1aYWpi2Uqj5jp/builds/umFNYwfj24CjqCWBU/openapi.json