The 18th Youth in Film Awards ceremony (now known as the Young Artist Awards), presented by the Youth in Film Association, honored outstanding youth performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, music and radio for the 1995–1996 season, and took place in 1997 in Hollywood, California. Established in 1978 by long-standing Hollywood Foreign Press Association member, Maureen Dragone, the Youth in Film Association was the first organization to establish an awards ceremony specifically set to recognize and award the contributions of performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film, television, theatre and music. Categories ★ Bold indicates the winner in each category. Best Young Performer in a Feature Film Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actor ★ Lucas Black - Sling Blade Vincent Kartheiser - Alaska Joe Perrino - Sleepers Kyle Howard - House Arrest Kevin Bishop - Muppet Treasure Island Best Performance in a Feature Film: Leading Young Actress ★ Michelle Trachtenberg - Harriet the Spy Mara Wilson - Matilda Thora Birch - Alaska Anna Paquin - Fly Away Home Heather Matarazzo - Welcome to the Dollhouse Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actor ★ Blake Bashoff - Big Bully Gregory Smith - Harriet the Spy Brawley Nolte - Ransom Geoffrey Wigdor - Sleepers Adam Zolotin - Jack Best Performance in a Feature Film: Supporting Young Actress ★ (tie) Vanessa Lee Chester - Harriet the Spy ★ (tie) Claire Danes - To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday Jessica Wesson - Flipper Kira Spencer Hesser - Matilda Erin Williby - First Kid Best Performance in a Feature Film: Actor Age Ten or Under ★ Jonathan Lipnicki - Jerry Maguire Alex D. Linz - One Fine Day Jake Lloyd - Unhook the Stars Haley Joel Osment - Bogus Eric Lloyd, - Dunston Checks In Ross Bagley - Independence Day Best Performance in a Feature Film: Actress Age Ten or Under ★ Mae Whitman - One Fine Day Ashley Buccille - Phenomenon Siri Howard - Welcome to the Dollhouse Yvonne Zima - The Long Kiss Goodnight Best Young Performer in a Foreign Film Best Performance in a Foreign Film ★ Andrei Chalimon - Kolya (Czech Republic) Chloe Ferguson - The Quiet Room (Australia) Tiba Tossijn - Long Live the Queen (The Netherlands) Tatjana Trieb - Beyond Silence (Germany) Gregg Fitzgerald - War of the Buttons (Ireland) Best Young Performer in