Featurelength

Featurelength, or feature-length, is a term used in film and video to describe a motion picture long enough to be presented as the main work in a program, as opposed to a short subject. The exact threshold varies by context, but a commonly cited lower bound is 40 minutes of running time. Some festivals, distributors, and national bodies apply higher minima, typically between 60 and 90 minutes, which influences eligibility and categorization.

In practice, most feature-length films run about 75 to 120 minutes. Many contemporary productions cluster around 90 minutes, though there are notable exceptions, including shorter features that push the lower boundary and longer ones that become epics. Runtime can affect programming decisions, financing, licensing, and how a film is marketed and perceived by audiences. Shorter runtimes may be labeled as shorts or mid-length works, while very long films are sometimes described as epics or long-form features.

The concept of featurelength emerged with the expansion of cinema beyond short subjects, as audiences began to expect a primary narrative experience in a single sitting. Today, the term remains a practical designation used across production, distribution, festivals, and streaming platforms to distinguish standard-length features from shorts and other formats. See also: short film, featurette, running time.