The 22nd César Awards ceremony, presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, honoured the best French films of 1996 and took place on 8 February 1997 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris. The ceremony was chaired by Annie Girardot and hosted by Antoine de Caunes. Ridicule won the award for Best Film.

The César Award is the national film award of France. It is delivered in the Nuit des César ceremony and was first awarded in 1976. The nominations are selected by the members of twelve categories of filmmaking professionals and supported by the French Ministry of Culture. The nationally televised award ceremony is held in Paris each year in February. The exact location has changed over the years. It is an initiative of the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, which was founded in 1975.