The 9th Chicago Film Critics Association Awards, given on 10 March 1997, honored the finest achievements in 1996 filmmaking.^[1]

Winners

• Best Actor:
  • Billy Bob Thornton - Sling Blade
• Best Actress:
  • Frances McDormand - Fargo
• Best Cinematography:
  • The English Patient
• Best Director:
  • Joel Coen - Fargo
• Best Film:
  • Fargo
• Best Foreign Language Film:
  • Dekalog (The Decalogue), Poland
• Best Score:
  • "Fargo" - Carter Burwell
• Best Screenplay:
  • Fargo - Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
• Best Supporting Actor:
  • Cuba Gooding Jr. - Jerry Maguire
• Best Supporting Actress:
  • Irma Hall - A Family Thing
• Most Promising Actor:
  • Edward Norton - Primal Fear, Everyone Says I Love You and The People vs. Larry Flynt
• Most Promising Actress:
  • Courtney Love - The People vs. Larry Flynt