Precious (2009 film)

Precious is a 2009 film based on the novel Push by author Sapphire starring Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe as a Harlem teenager who is pregnant with her second child and trying to overcome illiteracy and childhood abuse. After she is accepted to an alternative school and forms new relationships with a teacher (Paula Patton) and a nurse (Lenny Kravitz), she begins to feel hopeful about her future. Precious was directed by Lee Daniels, director of Shadowboxer and producer of Monster's Ball.http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/precious/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/plotsummary http://allmovie.com/work/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-476973

The film received 6 Oscar Nominations, including Best Director for Daniels, Best Actress for Sidibe, Best Supporting Actress for Mo'Nique, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. Mo'Nique won the Golden Globe for her performance as Precious' mother, Mary Jones. She also won the 2010 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Geoffrey Fletcher won for Best Adapted Screenplay and gave an emotional acceptance speech.

The full title of the film is Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire. It was formerly titled Push: Based on a Novel by Sapphire, but renamed to avoid confusion with another film named Push. Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry served as executive producers for the film. The movie recieved the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award, and Mo'nique won the Grand Jury Prize for Acting for her portrayal of Precious's mother at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/plotsummary http://www.cinematical.com/2009/02/20/push-shoved-precious-is-the-new-title-for-sundance-smash/ http://www.weareallprecious.com/

Precious is nominated for 6 awards

Directing

Film Editing

Best Picture

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

Oscar Nomination for Actress in a Leading Role in this movie

Mo'Nique won the Oscar for Actress in a Supporting Role as Mary Lee Johnston, Precious's mother, in this movie

Lee Daniels, producer of Monster's Ball and director of Shadowboxer adapts Sapphire's best-selling novel about an African-American teen's road to a new life. Clareece "Precious" Jones (Gabourey "Gabbie" Sidibe) stars as the Harlem teen who is pregnant with her second child and struggling to overcome hardships in her life. She had been raped by her father, abused by her mother (Mo'nique), and generally neglected.

She is angry, overweight, illiterate, and has little hope for a promising future until she is accepted into an alternative school and nurtured by the relationships she forms. Musician Lenny Kravitz makes his film debut as a nurse who befriends Precious; Paula Patton portrays Ms. Rain, a sympathetic teacher at the new school.http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/precious/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/plotsummary http://allmovie.com/work/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-476973

• Gabourey Sidibe as Clareece "Precious" Jones

• Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John

• Paula Patton as Ms. Rain

• Mo'nique as Mary

• Mariah Carey as Mrs. Weiss

• Sherri Shepherd as Cornrows

• Stephanie Andujar as Rita

• Aunt Dot as Tootsie

• Nealla Gordon as Mrs. Lichenstein

• Grace Hightower as Social Worker

• Chyna Layne as Rhonda

• Nia Fraser as Ruby

• Xosha Roquemore as Joann

• Kimberly Russell as Katherine

• Bill Sage as Mr. Wicher

• Angelic Zambrana as Consuelo

"An overwhelming, masterful dramatic competition entrant, this Lee Daniels film may have no bounds in the awards categories." Duane Byrge, The Hollywood Reporterhttp://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i3db40f138794b5732a2ca9821de1b452

"An urban nightmare with a surfeit of soul, 'Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire' is like a diamond -- clear, bright, but oh so hard." John Anderson, Varietyhttp://www.variety.com/review/VE1117939367.html?categoryid=2471&cs=1