The　antioxidant　activity of gelatin　film　is　poor.　Curcumin　is　a　natural　antioxidant,　but　its　main　disadvantage　is　low　aqueous　solubility.　In　this　study,　curcumin　was　encapsulated　by　β-cyclodextrin　to　prepare　βCD/CUR　complex.　Gelatin　films　incorporated　with　βCD/CUR　complexes　(GL-βCD-CUR　films)　were　fabricated.　The　effects　of　curcumin　content　on　their　properties　were　investigated.　Results　showed　that　the　water　solubility　of　curcumin　was　improved　in　βCD/CUR　complex.　The　βCD/CUR　complex　containing　2.5 mg　curcumin　had　smaller　size　and　more　homogeneous　distribution.　The　thicknesses　of　all　films　were　about　87 μm　and　there　were　no　significant　differences　(p > 0.05).　The　optimal　tensile　strength　(TS)　and　elongation　at　break　(EAB)　of　GL-βCD-CUR　films　were　observed　at　the　curcumin　content　of　2.5 mg.　With　the　increase　of　curcumin　concentration,　water　vapor　permeability　(WVP)　of　gelatin-based　films　decreased　from　2.88　to　2.38 × 10−10 g m−1 Pa−1 s−1　and　water　content　(WC)　decreased　from　34.64　to　24.72%,　but　water　solubility　(WS)　increased　from　21.22　to　59.75%.　GL-βCD-CUR　films　exhibited　lower　light　transmission　in　UV　light　compared　with　GL-βCD　film.　SEM　provided　that　there　was　a　good　compatibility　between　gelatin　molecules　and　βCD/CUR　complexes.　FTIR　proved　that　no　functional　groups　appeared　or　disappeared.　A　significant　increase　in　antioxidant　activity　and　the　stability　of　this　activity　along　with　a　lower　release　rate　of　curcumin　in　food　simulant　were　observed　in　gelatin　films　incorporated　with　βCD/CUR　complexes.　The　heat　sealing　property　of　GL-βCD-CUR　films　containing　1　or　2.5 mg　curcumin　was　better　than　that　of　film　containing　5 mg　curcumin.　The　L　values　of　red　Fuji (Malus　pumila　mill)　apple　juice　packed　by　GL-βCD-CUR　films　reduced　slowly.　The　slowest　decline　in　total　polyphenol　content　was　found　in　GL-βCD-2.5CUR　group.　Our　results　indicated　that　the　incorporation　of　βCD/CUR　complex　significantly　enhanced　the　antioxidant　activity　of　gelatin　film,　and　the　GL-βCD-CUR　film　can　be　used　in　apple　juice　preservation.　©　2017,　Springer　Science+Business　Media,　LLC.