See also: 1995 in film, other events of 1996, 1997 in film, list of 'years in film'.

Top grossing films

1. Independence Day, starring Will Smith
2. Twister, starring Helen Hunt
3. Mission: Impossible, starring Tom Cruise
4. Jerry Maguire, starring Tom Cruise
5. Ransom, starring Mel Gibson
6. 101 Dalmatians
7. The Rock, starring Sean Connery
8. The Nutty Professor, starring Eddie Murphy
9. The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams
10. A Time to Kill

Academy Awards

• Best Picture: The English Patient - J&M Entertainment, Miramax Films, Tiger Moth Productions
• Best Director: Anthony Minghella - The English Patient
• Best Actor: Geoffrey Rush - Shine
• Best Actress: Frances McDormand - Fargo

Deaths

• February 2 - Gene Kelly, actor
• February 6 - Guy Madison, actor
• February 11 - Phil Regan, singer,actor
• February 13 - Martin Balsam, actor
• February 15 - Tommy Rettig, actor
• February 17 - Evelyn Laye, actress
• February 25 - Haing S. Ngor, actor
• March 2 - Lyle Talbot , actor
• March 13 - Krzysztof Kieslowski, Polish film director
• March 17 - René Clément, French film director
• April 6 - Greer Garson, actress
• April 16 - Lucille Bremer, actress
• May 20 - Jon Pertwee, actor
• May 21 - Lash La Rue, cowboy actor
• June 7 - Max Factor, make-up artist and founder of Max Factor Cosmetics
• June 10 - Jo Van Fleet, actress
• June 11 - Brigitte Helm, German actress
• July 2 - Margaux Hemingway, model, actress
• July 30 - Claudette Colbert, actress
• September 7 - Bibi Besch, actress
• September 10 - Joanne Dru, actress
• September 13 - Tupac Shakur, rap singer/songwriter, actor
• September 14 - Juliet Prowse, dancer, actress
• September 18 - Annabella , actress
• September 22 - Dorothy Lamour, actress
• October 14 - Laura La Plante, actress
• October 31 - Marcel Carné, French film director
• November 14 - Virginia Cherrill , actress
• November 19 - Véra Korène, Russian born French actress
• December 8 - Howard E. Rollins Jr, actor
• December 19 - Marcello Mastroianni, actor
• December 30 - Lew Ayres, actor

Other movies released

• (DVD Release)
• The Arrival , starring Charlie Sheen
• Broken Arrow
• Courage Under Fire starring Denzel Washington
• The Craft, Fairuza Balk and Neve Campbell are two of four co-stars in movie that helped begin a trend of gothic dressers.
• Daylight starring Sylvester Stallone
• The English Patient
• Eraser starring Arnold Schwarzenegger
• Executive Decision
• Fargo
• Hype!
• Jerry Maguire
• (DVD Release)
• Kolya, directed by Jan Sverák - Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
• Matilda
• Ridicule, directed by Patrice Leconte, starring Fanny Ardant, Judith Godrèche
• Romeo and Juliet
• Space Jam
• Star Trek: First Contact
• Striptease
• The Stupids
• Tin Cup
• Trainspotting