David Cronenberg  at the Cannes Film Festival  in 2011   David Cronenberg  is a Canadian film director, screenwriter, and actor. He is known as a principal originator of the genre commonly known as body horror , with his films exploring visceral bodily transformation, infectious diseases, and the intertwining of the psychological, physical, and technological. Cronenberg is best known for exploring these themes through sci-fi  horror  films such as Shivers   (1975), Scanners   (1981),  Videodrome   (1983) and The Fly   (1986), though he has also directed dramas , psychological thrillers  and gangster films .[ 1]   
He also directed the psychological thriller  Dead Ringers   (1988), the surrealist  drama Naked Lunch   (1991), erotic thriller  Crash    (1996), the action thriller  A History of Violence   (2005), the gangster film  Eastern Promises   (2007), the erotic  historical drama  A Dangerous Method   (2011), the drama Cosmopolis   (2012), the satirical drama Maps to the Stars   (2014), and the science fiction  horror film  Crimes of the Future   (2022). Six of his films were selected to compete for the Palme d'Or . He is known for frequently collaborating with actor Viggo Mortensen . 
 
   
Film    
Acting roles   
Short films   
Television  
TV films   
TV series     Year   Title   Director   Writer   Episodes   Ref.     1972   Program X     Yes   No   "Secret Weapons" and "Nothing to Declare"        1976   Peep Show     Yes   No   "The Victim" and "The Lie Chair"        Teleplay    Yes   Yes   "The Italian Machine"        1988   Friday the 13th: The Series     Yes   No   "Faith Healer"        1991   Scales of Justice     Yes   No   "Regina vs Horvath" and "Regina vs Logan"       
 
Acting roles   
Commercials     Titles   Client   Product   Agency   Production company   Ref.     Hot Showers    Ontario Hydro    Energy conservation   Burghardt Wolowich Crunkhorn   The Partners' Film Company Ltd.   [ 38]      Laundry     Cleaners     Timers     Bistro    William Neilson Ltd.    Cadbury Caramilk   Scali McCabe, Sloves (Canada) Ltd.   [ 39]      Surveillance     Transformation    Nike International    Nike Air 180   Wieden and Kennedy   [ 40]     
 
Notes    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer    ^   cinematographer       
References    ^   "David Cronenberg: 10 essential films" . British Film Institute . 14 March 2017. Archived  from the original on 2022-03-16. Retrieved 2021-06-14  .                 ^ a   b   c   d   e   f   g   "Hurley C. Goodall obituary" . Turner Classic Movies  . Archived  from the original on June 10, 2024.    ^   Gleiberman, Owen  (May 23, 2022). " 'Crimes of the Future' Review: Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux and Kristen Stewart Star in David Cronenberg's Savage Horror Movie as Metaphor" . Variety . Retrieved July 7,  2025 .    ^   Barraclough, Leo (May 13, 2024). "David Cronenberg's 'The Shrouds' Debuts Teaser Ahead of World Premiere in Cannes Competition (EXCLUSIVE)" . Variety . Retrieved May 14,  2024 .     ^   Gleiberman, Owen (May 20, 2024). " 'The Shrouds' Review: David Cronenberg Makes a Movie About Grief — and Body Horror, and Digital Gravestones — That in Its Somber Way Verges on Self-Parody" . Variety . Retrieved July 7,  2025 .        ^   "Transfer" . MUBI  . Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "From the Drain" . MUBI . Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "CAMERA Short Film TIFF PRELUDE David Cronenberg: Virtual Exhibition" . TIFF Originals . 4 March 2016. Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "To Each His Own Cinema" . The Hollywood Reporter  . 20 May 2007. Archived  from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Watch: David Cronenberg's 9-Minute NSFW Short Film 'The Nest' " . IndieWire  . 30 June 2014. Archived  from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "The Death of David Cronenberg" . MUBI . Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Four Unloved Women, Adrift on a Purposeless Sea, Experience the Ecstasy of Dissection" . MUBI . Archived  from the original on January 15, 2025. Retrieved January 30,  2025 .          ^   "David Cronenberg Joins Cast of Sarah Polley's 'Alias Grace' Series" . IndieWire  . 7 September 2016. Archived  from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "David Cronenberg on His Mysterious 'Star Trek: Discovery' Role: 'I Still Haven't Figured Everything Out' (EXCLUSIVE)" . Variety . 11 December 2020. Archived  from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Legendary filmmaker David Cronenberg on his role in Slasher: Flesh & Blood and his return to directing" . Entertainment Weekly  . Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Cronenberg, David" . Senses of Cinema . 18 April 2012. Archived  from the original on 28 September 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Caramilk David Cronenberg" . TIFF Originals . 4 March 2016. Archived  from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .    ^   "Classic Commercial: Nike Air 180 Artist's Series" . Complex . Archived  from the original on September 20, 2023. Retrieved September 23,  2023 .       
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