The independent feature won best film, beating the overwhelming favourite Brokeback Mountain.
It was such a shock that when presenter Jack Nicholson made the announcement there was a collective gasp from the audience. Even the crew backstage were heard to say: "Wow."
Crash, a gritty race relations drama, had six nominations to Brokeback's eight, and the gay cowboy film had looked unstoppable after winning a string of awards at the Golden Globes and the Baftas. It had been given 5/1-on odds by the bookies.
Instead Brokeback had to be content with three Oscars: Ang Lee won best director and the film also won best adapted screenplay and best musical score.
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