The film generated considerable controversy upon its release and opened to mixed and highly divergent reactions from critics . While some praised the film for its daring premise and originality , others criticized its combination of graphic sexuality and violence . It premiered at the Cannes Film Festival , where it received the Special Jury Prize , a unique award that is distinct from the Jury Prize as it is not given annually , but only at the request of the official jury ( for example , the previous year , both a Jury Prize and a Special Jury Prize were awarded ) . When then jury president Francis Ford Coppola announced the award " for originality , for daring and for audacity , " he stated that it had been a controversial choice and that certain jury members , " did abstain very passionately . " The award has not been given since . It received six Genie Awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television , including awards for Cronenberg as director and screenwriter ; the film was also nominated in two further categories , including Best Picture
Cannes Film Festival
1996 Cannes Film Festival
Crash (1996 film)