| Number: | 7 |
| Award: | César Awards |
| Date: | 27 February 1982 |
| Site: | Salle Pleyel, Paris, France |
| Host: | Pierre Tchernia and Jacques Martin |
| Best Film: | Quest for Fire |
| Best Actor: | Michel Serrault |
| Best Actress: | Isabelle Adjani |
| Network: | Antenne 2 |
| Last: | 6th |
| Next: | 8th |
The 7th César Awards ceremony, presented by the Académie des Arts et Techniques du Cinéma, honoured the best French films of 1981 and took place on 27 February 1982 at the Salle Pleyel in Paris. The ceremony was chaired by Orson Welles and hosted by Pierre Tchernia and Jacques Martin. Quest for Fire won the award for Best Film.
The winners are highlighted in bold:
Quest for Fire, directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud
Coup de Torchon, directed by Bertrand Tavernier
Garde à vue, directed by Claude Miller
Les Uns et les Autres, directed by Claude Lelouch
The Elephant Man, directed by David Lynch
Die Fälschung, directed by Volker Schlöndorff
Raiders of the Lost Ark, directed by Steven Spielberg
Man of Iron, directed by Andrzej Wajda
Diva, directed by Jean-Jacques Beineix
Le Jardinier, directed by Jean-Pierre Sentier
Neige, directed by Juliet Berto and Jean-Henri Roger
Une affaire d'hommes, directed by Nicolas Ribowski
Michel Serrault, for Garde à vue
Patrick Dewaere, for Beau-père
Philippe Noiret, for Coup de Torchon
Michel Piccoli, for Une étrange affaire
Isabelle Adjani, for Possession
Isabelle Huppert, for Coup de Torchon
Fanny Ardant, for La Femme d'à côté
Catherine Deneuve, for Hôtel des Amériques
Guy Marchand, for Garde à vue
Jean-Pierre Marielle, for Coup de Torchon
Eddy Mitchell, for Coup de Torchon
Gérard Lanvin, for Une étrange affaire
Nathalie Baye, for Une étrange affaire
Stéphane Audran, for Coup de Torchon
Véronique Silver, for La Femme d'à côté
Sabine Haudepin, for Hôtel des Amériques
Jean-Jacques Annaud, for La Guerre du feu
Bertrand Tavernier, for Coup de Torchon
Claude Miller, for Garde à vue
Pierre Granier-Deferre, for Une étrange affaire
Claude Miller, Jean Herman, Michel Audiard, for Garde à vue
Jean Aurenche, Bertrand Tavernier, for Coup de Torchon
Gérard Brach, for La Guerre du feu
Christopher Frank, Pierre Granier-Deferre, Jean-Marc Roberts, for Une étrange affaire
Philippe Rousselot, for Diva
Bruno Nuytten, for Garde à vue
Claude Agostini, for La Guerre du feu
Jean Penzer, for Malevil
Jean-Pierre Ruh, for Diva
Paul Lainé, for Garde à vue
Pierre Gamet, for Malevil
Harald Maury, for Les Uns et les Autres
Albert Jurgenson, for Garde à vue
Armand Psenny, for Coup de Torchon
Henri Lanoë, for Malevil
Sophie Bhaud, Hugues Darmois, for Les Uns et les Autres
Vladimir Cosma, for Diva
Philippe Sarde, for La Guerre du feu
Ennio Morricone, for Le Professionnel
Francis Lai, Michel Legrand, for Les Uns et les Autres
Les Photos d'Alix, directed by Jean Eustache
Cher Alexandre, directed by Anne Lemonier
Le Concept subtil, directed by Gérard Krawczyk
Le Rat noir d'amérique, directed by Jérôme Enrico
Reporters, directed by Raymond Depardon
Ci-Gisent, directed by Valérie Moncorgé
Solange Giraud, née Tache, directed by Simone Bitton
Max Douy, for Malevil
Alexandre Trauner, for Coup de Torchon
Hilton McConnico, for Diva
Brian Morris, for La Guerre du feu
Georges Dancigers
Alexandre Mnouchkine