It split audiences, divided critics and even left its own producers warring. But "Crash" ultimately unified the one constituency that matters most in Hollywood: Academy Award voters.
In one of the biggest upsets in recent Academy Award history, "Crash" defeated "Brokeback Mountain" for the best picture Oscar on Sunday, also winning in the categories of best original screenplay and editing.
Though the provocative ensemble drama about race relations in Los Angeles dealt a blow to the heavily favored "Brokeback Mountain," the ascension of "Crash" symbolized not only the rise of independently financed movies but also this award season's emphasis on personal stories about divisive social issues.
"What an amazing night!" one of "Crash's" two credited producers, Cathy Schulman, said after the film's win was greeted by astonishment and applause inside the Kodak Theatre. Addressing her fellow best picture nominees, she said: "You have made this year one of the most breathtaking and stunning maverick years in American cinema."
"Brokeback Mountain," which had cleaned up at awards shows leading up to the 78th annual Oscars and was among the year's best-reviewed films, did win an Oscar for Ang Lee, the first non-white director to win the industry's top filmmaking prize. The controversial movie about cowboys in love also won trophies for adapted screenplay and score.
In upsetting "Brokeback Mountain" for best picture, "Crash" delivered as big a shock as when "Shakespeare in Love" toppled "Saving Private Ryan" seven years ago.
In choosing "Crash" over "Brokeback Mountain," the academy was picking between two small movies dealing with prejudice and intolerance. "Crash" isn't playing in theaters anymore, having been released on DVD in September. Not one of this year's best picture nominees has grossed more than $80 million in theaters; only "Brokeback Mountain" has come close.
Even though its win was unexpected, "Crash" represents an Academy Award trend. For the fourth consecutive year, none of the major Hollywood studios could claim credit for making and releasing a best picture winner -- a span stretching back to Universal Pictures' "A Beautiful Mind." (Last year's winner, "Million Dollar Baby," was distributed by Warner Bros. but financed by independent Lakeshore Entertainment.)
And unlike past independent best film winners, which were fully financed by specialized companies such as Miramax Films, this year's non-studio films were bankrolled by a patchwork of private investors.
