Sapphire’s Push awarded top prize at Sundance

You haven’t read Push?  Read it now. You can catch clips from the film after the jump.

Director Lee Daniels’ adaptation of Sapphire’s critically acclaimed novel, Push, has been awarded several awards at Sundance 2009, chiefly best drama. It has also won the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic, and A Special Jury Prize for Acting. 

Daniels also produced Monster’s Ball, which means he was the first African American sole producer of an Academy Award–winning film. 

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe stars as Clareece ‘Precious’ Jones, who, according to Push’s publicity, is “a high-school girl with nothing working in her favor.”

If you’ve read the book, you know that is an immense understatement. Black girl lost was at Sundance, and has a review on her site.

The film also stars Paula Patton and Sherri Shepherd, as well pop culture favorites Lenny Kravitz, Mo’Nique, and Mariah Carey. Kravitz plays a nurse, Carey the social worker who finally reaches out to Precious, and Mo’Nique plays Precious’ abusive mother in what Reuters is already calling “a bravura performance.”

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I am on the board of directors of a small independent cinema. Here’s to working to make sure Push makes it into theaters! I’m sure the awards won’t hurt– but they aren’t everything.

Here’s a nice interview with director Daniels, with clips from the film. Did I mention you need to go and buy Push right now?