Crash is a 1996 Canadian/British drama thriller film written and directed by David Cronenberg based on J. G. Ballard's 1973 novel of the same name. It tells the story of a group of people who take sexual pleasure from car accidents, a notable form of paraphilia. The film generated considerable controversy on its release. The film stars James Spader, Holly Hunter, Elias Koteas, Deborah Kara Unger, and Rosanna Arquette.

Crash opened to mixed and highly divergent reactions from critics. While some praised the film for its daring premise and originality, others criticised its combination of graphic sexuality with violence. Although it was nominated for the Golden Palm at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, it instead won the Special Jury Prize. The film's music score was composed by Howard Shore.

Set in Toronto, James Ballard (James Spader), a film producer, has an open marriage with his wife, Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger). The couple are shown early on in the film engaging in various infidelities, and later having unenthusiastic sex; their arousal is heightened by discussing the intimate details of their extramarital sexual encounters.

Crash may refer to:

Major releases this year included Swingers, Independence Day, Fargo, Trainspotting, The Rock, The English Patient, Twister, Mars Attacks!, Jerry Maguire and a version of Evita starring Madonna.

Palme d'Or (Cannes Film Festival):

Golden Lion (Venice Film Festival):

Golden Bear (Berlin Film Festival):

U.S.A. unless stated

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1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year that started on a Monday. In the Gregorian calendar, it was the 1996th year of the Common Era or of Anno Domini; the 996th year of the 2nd millennium; the 96th year of the 20th century; and the 7th of the 1990s. The year 1996 was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty.

A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects. The process of filmmaking has developed into an art form and industry.

Films are cultural artifacts created by specific cultures, which reflect those cultures, and, in turn, affect them. Film is considered to be an important art form, a source of popular entertainment and a powerful method for educating – or indoctrinating – citizens. The visual elements of cinema give motion pictures a universal power of communication. Some films have become popular worldwide attractions by using dubbing or subtitles that translate the dialogue into the language of the viewer.

Films are made up of a series of individual images called frames. When these images are shown rapidly in succession, a viewer has the illusion that motion is occurring. The viewer cannot see the flickering between frames due to an effect known as persistence of vision, whereby the eye retains a visual image for a fraction of a second after the source has been removed. Viewers perceive motion due to a psychological effect called beta movement.