Precious, Opens Nov 20th

PRECIOUS
Opens November 20th, check local listings

Lee Daniels’ PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE is a vibrant, honest and resoundingly hopeful film about the human capacity to grow and overcome.

Set in Harlem in 1987, it is the story of Claireece “Precious” Jones (Gabourey Sidibe), a sixteen-year-old African-American girl born into a life no one would want. She’s pregnant for the second time by her absent father; at home, she must wait hand and foot on her mother (Mo’Nique), a poisonously angry woman who abuses her emotionally and physically. School is a place of chaos, and Precious has reached the ninth grade with good marks and an awful secret: she can neither read nor write.

Precious may sometimes be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakeable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school, Each One/Teach One. Precious doesn’t know the meaning of “alternative,” but her instincts tell her this is the chance she has been waiting for. In the literacy workshop taught by the patient yet firm Ms. Rain (Paula Patton), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.

PRECIOUS was in Official Selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival - Un Certain Regard, and won three awards in the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival: the Grand Jury Prize, the Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize in Acting, honoring Mo’Nique. The film was also the centerpiece of the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival Gala Presentation on September 12, 2009, where it received the non-juried event’s top honor, the 2009 Cadillac People’s Choice Award. PRECIOUS is the only film ever to receive the Audience awards at both Sundance and Toronto. PRECIOUS has been selected as the 2009 New York Film Festival Centerpiece, screening at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall on Saturday, October 3, 2009.

Lionsgate in association with Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry present A Lee Daniels Entertainment / Smokewood Entertainment Group Production of PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL ‘PUSH’ BY SAPPHIRE, directed by Lee Daniels from a screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher based upon the book ‘Push,’ a novel by Sapphire. The film stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introduces Gabourey Sidibe. PRECIOUS was produced by Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness. Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Lisa Cortés and Tom Heller are Executive Producers; Simone Sheffield serves as Co-Executive Producer; Mark G. Mathis is Co-Producer; and Andrew Sfrozini and Asger Hussain serve as Associate Producers.