Argentina Poised To Detour 'Crash'

By Beatriz Goyoaga and Andrew Paxman

BUENOS AIRES (Variety) - An Argentinian group representing victims of auto accidents is taking legal action to ban the controversial sex-and-wrecks picture "Crash."

Familiares y Victimas del Transito filed a civil suit Monday petitioning a ban of the David Cronenberg-directed film, which opened here Nov. 21.

Gregorio Dalbon, head of the group, told local reporters he intended to halt the exhibition of "this ominous film." He added that, given a local rate of 30 traffic-related deaths per day, the film would only serve to increase the collective violence of drivers.

Oscar Scarinci, local manager of the film's distributor, Columbia TriStar International, told Daily Variety: "All we have at present are the newspaper reports, so the film will carry on as normal."

The picture sold a so-so 17,600 tickets on 10 screens in its opening four-day weekend.

Reuters/Variety