The was held on 2 February 1997 in Kannai Hall, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan.

Awards Best Film: Kids Return Best Actor: Tadanobu Asano – Picnic, Focus, Helpless, Acri Kōji Yakusho – Shall We Dance?, Sleeping Man, Shabu Gokudō Best Actress: Eri Fukatsu – Haru Best Supporting Actor: Ryo Ishibashi – Kids Return Best Supporting Actress: Reiko Kusamura – Shall We Dance? Best Director: Masayuki Suo – Shall We Dance? Best New Director: Sabu – Dangan Runner Best Screenplay: Yoshimitsu Morita – Haru Best Cinematography: Katsumi Yanagishima – Kids Return Best New Talent: Masanobu Andō – Kids Return Chara – Picnic, Swallowtail Butterfly Tamiyo Kusakari – Shall We Dance? Special Jury Prize: Kaizo Hayashi – The Most Terrible Time in My Life, The Stairway to the Distant Past, and The Trap Special Prize: Tetsuya Watari – Waga Kokoro no Ginga Tetsudō: Miyazawa Kenji Monogatari (Career)

Best 10 Kids Return Shall We Dance? Boys Be Ambitious Haru Biriken Tokiwa: The Manga Apartment O-higara mo yoku, go shūshō sama Shabu Gokudō Gamera 2: Attack of Legion Okaeri runner-up: Swallowtail Butterfly

References