The 37th César Awards ceremony, presented by the French Academy of Cinema Arts and Techniques, was held on 24 February 2012, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The awards honoured the best films of 2011. The Artist won six out of its ten nominations, including Best Film, Best Director, Best Actress, and Best Cinematography. The ceremony was chaired by Guillaume Canet, with Antoine de Caunes as master of ceremonies. Nominations were announced 27 January 2012.

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.