16th Ariel Awards

The 16th Ariel Awards ceremony, organized by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences took place on March 22, 1974, in Mexico City. During the ceremony, AMACC presented the Ariel Award in 14 categories honoring films released in 1973. El Principio was the most nominated film, and also the most awarded with eight wins including a Special Award for child actor Rogelio Flores. El Principio won for Best Picture and Best Director. Two-time Ariel winner film, Calzonzin Inspector, directed by Alfonso Arau, was selected to represent Mexico at the 47th Academy Awards, but was not nominated.

Winners and nominees

Winners are listed first and highlighted with boldface.

El Principio – Estudios Churubusco Azteca * "Caridad" – Ediciones Germán Camus * El Cambio – Departamento de Actividades Cinematográficas	Gonzalo Martínez Ortega – El Principio * Jorge Fons – "Caridad" * Alfredo Joskowicz – El Cambio
Pancho Córdova – "Caridad" 'as Jacobo * Sergio Jiménez – El Cambio *** Ignacio López Tarso – El Profeta Mimí as Ángel Peñafiel / Mimí**	Katy Jurado – "Caridad" as Eulogia * Ofelia Medina – El Cambio * Lucha Villa – El Principio as María del Rayo
Sergio Bustamante – El Principio as Don Pancho * Andrés García – El Principio as Luciano * Alejandro Parodi – El Principio as Leobardo López	Lina Montes – El Principio as Doña Cuca * Carolina Barret – Calzonzin Inspector as Doña Pomposa * Mercedes Carreño – Los Perros de Dios
Los Perros de Dios – Josefina Vicens * El Cambio – Luis Carreón and Alfredo Joskowicz * El Principio – Gonzalo Martínez Ortega	El Principio – Gonzalo Martínez Ortega * El Cambio – Leobaldo López * Los Perros de Dios – Josefina Vicens
El Principio – Rubén Fuentes * El Cambio – Julio Estrada and Luis Celis * La Muerte de Pancho Villa – José Antonio Alcaraz	Calzonzin Inspector – Jorge Stahl Jr. * Arde, Baby, Arde – Alex Phillips * El Señor de Osanto – Gabriel Figueroa
El Principio – Carlos Savage * El Cambio – Ramón Aupart * El Profeta Mimí – Juan José Marino	Calzonzin Inspector – José Luis González de León
En Busca de un Muro – Enrique Estévez * Calzonzin Inspector Víctor Fosado * El Señor de Osanto – Lucero Isaac	No Nos Moverán – Breni Cuenca' * Baja California: Paralelo 28 – Carlos Velo * De Ayer y de Mañana – Ángel Flores Marini

Multiple nominations and awards

The following six films received multiple nominations:

Nominations	Film
11	El Principio
8	El Cambio
4	Calzonzin Inspector
4	"Caridad"
2	El Señor de Osanto
2	El Profeta Mimí

Films that received multiple awards:

Awards	Film
8	El Principio
2	"Caridad"
2	Calzonzin Inspector