2011 in film
The following is an overview of the events of 2011 in film, including the highest-grossing films, film festivals, award ceremonies and a list of films released and notable deaths. More film sequels were released in 2011 than any other year before it, with 28 sequels released. Film critic Scout Tafoya considers 2011 as the best year for cinema, countering the notion of 1939 being film's best year overall and citing important developments in cinematic expression during 2011.
Evaluation of the year
of The New Yorker observed that the best films of 2011 "exalt the metaphysical, the fantastical, the transformative, the fourth-wall-breaking, or simply the impossible, and—remarkably—do so... These films depart from 'reality'... not in order to forget the irrefutable but in order to face it, to think about it, to act on it more freely". Film critic and filmmaker Scout Tafoya of RogerEbert.com considers the year of 2011 as the best year for cinema, countering the notion of 1939 being film's best year overall, citing examples such as Drive, The Tree of Life, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Keyhole, Contagion, The Adventures of Tintin, and . He stated that "2011 housed not just some of the greatest art films of our age, but a revolution in the language of blockbuster filmmaking. One big-budget action film after another used digital cameras to show the world behind explosions in starker, stranger light, while constructing a backbone of classical ideas and images."Highest-grossing films
The top 10 films released in 2011 by worldwide gross are as follows:| Rank | Title | Distributor | Worldwide gross |
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | Warner Bros. | $1,342,511,219 |
| 2 | ' | Paramount | $1,123,794,079 |
| 3 | ' | Disney | $1,045,713,802 |
| 4 | ' | Lionsgate | $712,205,856 |
| 5 | ' | Paramount | $694,713,380 |
| 6 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Paramount | $665,692,281 |
| 7 | Fast Five | Universal | $626,137,675 |
| 8 | The Hangover Part II | Warner Bros. | $586,764,305 |
| 9 | The Smurfs | Sony | $563,749,323 |
| 10 | Cars 2 | Disney | $559,852,396 |
' grossed $1,045,713,802, becoming the second film in the series to have grossed over $1 billion, and the 37th-highest-grossing film of all time. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 grossed $1,342,511,219, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of all time during its theatrical run, the highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter franchise, the highest grossing book adaptation and the highest of 2011 as a whole. In the US and Canada, it set single-day and opening-weekend records, with $91,071,119 and $169,189,427, respectively. In addition, the film set a worldwide opening-weekend record with $483,189,427. ' grossed $1,123,794,079 and is currently the 26th-highest-grossing film of all time and the highest-grossing in the series.
2011 was the first year when three films grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, surpassing the previous year's record of two billion-dollar films, and also the first time when at least 10 films grossed more than $500 million worldwide.
Pirates of the Caribbean became the first franchise to have more than one film gross over $1 billion, with ' joining 2006's '. On Stranger Tides also became the fifth film of the decade to surpass the billion-dollar milestone, breaking the previous record of four films during the 2000s.
- The Shrek franchise became the first animated film series to gross more than $3 billion with the release of Puss in Boots.
- The Smurfs surpassed as the highest-grossing live-action/animated film of all time with $563.7 million.
Events
- 16th Empire Awards
- 17th Screen Actors Guild Awards
- 24th European Film Awards
- 31st Golden Raspberry Awards
- 68th Golden Globe Awards
- 64th British Academy Film Awards
- 68th Venice International Film Festival
- 83rd Academy Awards
- 57th Filmfare Awards
- 2011 MTV Movie Awards
- 2011 Sundance Film Festival
Film festival premieres
- 61st Berlin International Film Festival
- * Come Rain, Come Shine
- * Coriolanus
- * The Forgiveness of Blood
- * Tales of the Night
- * If Not Us, Who?
- * Lipstikka
- * Our Grand Despair
- * Pina
- * The Turin Horse
- * Yelling to the Sky
- 2011 Fantasia International Film Festival
- * Marianne
- 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival
- * The Last Lions
- * Little Murder
- * Thanks
- 27th Sundance Film Festival
- * Cedar Rapids
- * Crime After Crime
- * Higher Ground
- * The Future
- * The Art of Getting By
- * The Off Hours
- * Win Win
- 2011 Cannes Film Festival
- * The Tree of Life
- * Midnight in Paris
Awards
2011 films
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
List of films released in 2011
- American films
- Argentine films
- Australian films
- Bengali films
- Bollywood films
- Brazilian films
- British films
- French films
- Hong Kong films
- Italian films
- Japanese films
- Mexican films
- Pakistani films
- Russian films
- South Korean films
- Spanish films
- Tamil films
- Telugu films
Notable deaths
| Month | Date | Name | Age | Nationality | Profession | Notable films |
| January | 2 | Anne Francis | 80 | American | Actress | |
| January | 2 | Pete Postlethwaite | 64 | British | Actor | |
| January | 2 | Miriam Seegar | 103 | American | Actress | |
| January | 2 | Patricia Smith | 80 | American | Actress | |
| January | 2 | Margot Stevenson | 98 | American | Actress | |
| January | 3 | Jill Haworth | 65 | British | Actress | |
| January | 9 | Peter Yates | 81 | British | Director | |
| January | 11 | David Nelson | 74 | American | Actor, Producer | |
| January | 15 | Susannah York | 72 | British | Actress | |
| January | 16 | Paul Picerni | 88 | American | Actor | |
| January | 16 | Juan Piquer Simón | 75 | Spanish | Director | |
| January | 20 | Bruce Gordon | 94 | American | Actor | |
| January | 21 | Theoni V. Aldredge | 82 | Greek | Costume Designer | |
| January | 24 | Bernd Eichinger | 61 | German | Producer | |
| January | 26 | María Mercader | 92 | Spanish | Actress | |
| January | 26 | Mario Scaccia | 91 | Italian | Actor | |
| January | 27 | Charlie Callas | 83 | American | Actor | |
| January | 30 | John Barry | 77 | British | Composer | |
| January | 31 | Michael Tolan | 86 | American | Actor | |
| February | 2 | Margaret John | 84 | British | Actress | |
| February | 3 | Maria Schneider | 58 | French | Actress | |
| February | 4 | Tura Satana | 72 | Japanese | Actress | |
| February | 5 | Donald Peterman | 79 | American | Cinematographer | |
| February | 10 | Bill Justice | 97 | American | Animator | |
| February | 11 | Myrna Dell | 86 | American | Actress | |
| February | 12 | Betty Garrett | 91 | American | Actress, Dancer, Singer | |
| February | 12 | Kenneth Mars | 75 | American | Actor, Voice Actor | |
| February | 13 | Larry Holden | 49 | Irish | Actor | |
| February | 13 | T. P. McKenna | 81 | British | Actor | |
| February | 14 | David F. Friedman | 87 | American | Producer | |
| February | 16 | Alfred Burke | 92 | British | Actor | |
| February | 16 | Len Lesser | 88 | American | Actor | |
| February | 17 | Perry Moore | 39 | American | Producer | |
| February | 18 | Walter Seltzer | 96 | American | Producer | |
| February | 22 | Nicholas Courtney | 81 | British | Actor | Bullseye! |
| February | 26 | Greg Goossen | 65 | American | Actor | |
| February | 27 | Gary Winick | 49 | American | Director, Producer | |
| February | 28 | Annie Girardot | 79 | French | Actress | |
| February | 28 | Nick LaTour | 84 | American | Actor | |
| February | 28 | Jane Russell | 89 | American | Actress | |
| March | 4 | Charles Jarrott | 83 | British | Director | |
| March | 11 | Hugh Martin | 96 | American | Composer | |
| March | 17 | Michael Gough | 94 | Malaysian | Actor | |
| March | 18 | Enzo Cannavale | 82 | Italian | Actor | |
| March | 21 | Joe Wizan | 76 | Mexican | Producer | |
| March | 22 | Helen Stenborg | 86 | American | Actress | |
| March | 23 | Elizabeth Taylor | 79 | British-American | Actress | |
| March | 27 | Farley Granger | 85 | American | Actor | |
| April | 2 | Bill Varney | 77 | American | Sound Mixer | |
| April | 3 | Kevin Jarre | 56 | American | Screenwriter | |
| April | 4 | Wayne Robson | 64 | Canadian | Actor | |
| April | 6 | Skip O'Brien | 60 | American | Actor | |
| April | 9 | Sidney Lumet | 86 | American | Director, Producer, Screenwriter | |
| April | 9 | Yolande Palfrey | 54 | British | Actress | Dragonslayer |
| April | 11 | Angela Scoular | 65 | British | Actress | |
| April | 14 | Trevor Bannister | 76 | British | Actor | |
| April | 17 | Michael Sarrazin | 70 | Canadian | Actor | |
| April | 20 | Tim Hetherington | 40 | British-American | Director | Restrepo |
| April | 24 | Marie-France Pisier | 66 | French | Actress | |
| April | 28 | William Campbell | 87 | American | Actor | |
| May | 3 | Jackie Cooper | 88 | American | Actor | |
| May | 4 | Mary Murphy | 80 | American | Actress | |
| May | 5 | Arthur Laurents | 93 | American | Playwright, Screenwriter | |
| May | 5 | Dana Wynter | 79 | British | Actress | |
| May | 8 | Hilton Rosemarin | 58 | Canadian | Set Decorator | |
| May | 9 | Dolores Fuller | 88 | American | Actress | |
| May | 15 | Barbara Stuart | 76 | American | Actress | |
| May | 16 | Edward Hardwicke | 78 | British | Actor | |
| May | 20 | Randy Savage | 58 | American | Actor | |
| May | 21 | Bill Hunter | 71 | Australian | Actor | |
| May | 22 | Joseph Brooks | 73 | American | Director, Songwriter | |
| May | 27 | Jeff Conaway | 60 | American | Actor | |
| May | 30 | Clarice Taylor | 93 | American | Actress | |
| June | 3 | James Arness | 88 | American | Actor | |
| June | 3 | Pat Jackson | 95 | British | Director | |
| June | 3 | Miriam Karlin | 85 | British | Actress | |
| June | 4 | Donald Hewlett | 90 | British | Actor | Carry On Behind |
| June | 6 | John Boswall | 91 | British | Actor | |
| June | 7 | Leonard B. Stern | 87 | American | Screenwriter, Director | |
| June | 8 | John Mackenzie | 83 | Scottish | Director | |
| June | 11 | Gunnar Fischer | 100 | Swedish | Cinematographer | |
| June | 12 | Laura Ziskin | 61 | American | Producer | |
| June | 14 | Peter Schamoni | 77 | German | Alexander Kluge's Codirector | Brutalität in Stein |
| June | 14 | Badi Uzzaman | 72 | Indian | Actor | |
| June | 20 | Ryan Dunn | 34 | American | Actor | |
| June | 22 | David Rayfiel | 87 | American | Screenwriter | |
| June | 23 | Peter Falk | 83 | American | Actor | |
| June | 25 | Alice Playten | 63 | American | Actress | |
| June | 26 | Edith Fellows | 88 | American | Actress | Pennies from Heaven |
| June | 27 | Elaine Stewart | 81 | American | Actress | |
| July | 1 | Leslie Brooks | 88 | American | Actress | |
| July | 3 | Anna Massey | 73 | British | Actress | |
| July | 5 | Gordon Tootoosis | 69 | Canadian | Actor | |
| July | 8 | Roberts Blossom | 87 | American | Actor | |
| July | 15 | Googie Withers | 94 | British | Actress | |
| July | 17 | David Ngoombujarra | 44 | Australian | Actor | |
| July | 19 | Sheila Burrell | 89 | British | Actress | |
| July | 22 | Tom Aldredge | 83 | American | Actor | |
| July | 22 | Linda Christian | 87 | Mexican/American | Actress | |
| July | 24 | Tresa Hughes | 81 | American | Actress | |
| July | 24 | G. D. Spradlin | 90 | American | Actor | |
| July | 25 | Michael Cacoyannis | 89 | Greek | Director, Producer, Screenwriter | |
| July | 27 | Polly Platt | 72 | American | Producer, Art Director, Screenwriter | |
| August | 2 | Richard Pearson | 93 | British | Actor | |
| August | 3 | Bubba Smith | 66 | American | Actor | |
| August | 5 | Francesco Quinn | 48 | Italian | Actor | |
| August | 6 | John Wood | 81 | British | Actor | |
| August | 14 | Shammi Kapoor | 79 | Indian | Actor, Director | |
| August | 19 | Raúl Ruiz | 70 | Chilean | Director | |
| August | 23 | Sybil Jason | 83 | American | Actress | |
| August | 23 | Michael Showers | 45 | American | Actor | |
| August | 24 | Frank DiLeo | 63 | American | Actor | |
| August | 24 | Jack Hayes | 93 | American | Composer, Orchestrator | |
| August | 27 | Eve Brent | 82 | American | Actress | |
| September | 10 | Cliff Robertson | 88 | American | Actor | |
| September | 11 | Andy Whitfield | 39 | Welsh/Australian | Actor | |
| September | 13 | John Calley | 81 | American | Producer | |
| September | 13 | Jack Garner | 84 | American | Actor | |
| September | 15 | Frances Bay | 92 | Canadian | Actress | |
| September | 16 | Norma Eberhardt | 82 | American | Actress | |
| September | 21 | Paulette Dubost | 100 | French | Actress | |
| September | 22 | Peter E. Berger | 67 | American | Film Editor | |
| September | 22 | Jonathan Cecil | 72 | British | Actor | |
| September | 26 | David Zelag Goodman | 81 | American | Screenwriter | |
| September | 26 | Jerry Haynes | 84 | American | Actor | |
| October | 2 | Peter Przygodda | 69 | German | Editor | |
| October | 4 | Doris Belack | 85 | American | Actress | |
| October | 5 | Steve Jobs | 56 | American | Producer, Studio Executive | |
| October | 5 | Charles Napier | 75 | American | Actor | |
| October | 6 | Diane Cilento | 78 | Australian | Actress | |
| October | 7 | George Baker | 80 | British | Actor | |
| October | 8 | David Hess | 75 | American | Actor | |
| October | 10 | Alan Fudge | 67 | American | Actor | |
| October | 13 | Sheila Allen | 78 | British | Actress | |
| October | 13 | Barbara Kent | 103 | Canadian | Actress | |
| October | 19 | Jeff Rudom | 51 | American | Actor | Unleashed |
| October | 20 | Sue Lloyd | 72 | British | Actress | |
| October | 31 | Gilbert Cates | 77 | American | Director, Producer | |
| November | 2 | Sid Melton | 94 | American | Actor | |
| November | 2 | Leonard Stone | 87 | American | Actor | |
| November | 3 | Rosángela Balbó | 70 | Italian-Mexican | Actress | The Incredible Invasion |
| November | 3 | Bruno Rubeo | 65 | Italian | Production Designer | |
| November | 6 | Margaret Field | 89 | American | Actress | |
| November | 8 | Gene Cantamessa | 80 | American | Sound Mixer | |
| November | 8 | Heavy D | 44 | American | Rapper, Actor | |
| November | 15 | Dulcie Gray | 95 | British | Actress | |
| November | 15 | Karl Slover | 93 | American | Actor | |
| November | 16 | Maureen Swanson | 78 | British | Actress | |
| November | 17 | John Paxton | 90 | American | Actor | |
| November | 19 | John Neville | 86 | British | Actor | |
| November | 20 | Dorothy Morris | 89 | American | Actress | |
| November | 27 | Ken Russell | 84 | British | Director, Actor | |
| November | 28 | Vittorio De Seta | 88 | Italian | Director, Screenwriter | |
| November | 28 | Patrice O'Neal | 41 | American | Comedian, Actor | |
| December | 1 | Bill McKinney | 80 | American | Actor | |
| December | 3 | Dev Anand | 88 | Indian | Actor, Director, Producer | |
| December | 6 | Giancarlo Badessi | 83 | Italian | Actor | |
| December | 7 | Harry Morgan | 96 | American | Actor | |
| December | 11 | Harold Hopkins | 67 | Australian | Actor | |
| December | 14 | Don Sharp | 67 | Australian | Director | |
| December | 16 | Nicol Williamson | 73 | British | Actor | |
| December | 18 | Doe Avedon | 86 | American | Actress | |
| December | 20 | Yoshimitsu Morita | 61 | Japanese | Director | |
| December | 22 | William Duell | 88 | American | Actor | |
| December | 23 | Denise Darcel | 87 | American | Actress | |
| December | 26 | Pedro Armendáriz, Jr. | 71 | Mexican | Actor | |
| December | 27 | Betty Jane Rhodes | 90 | American | Actress, Singer | |
| December | - | - | - | - | - | - |