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September 2009
'PRECIOUS' INVADES TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL


'PRECIOUS' INVADES TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL

by Wilson Morales
September 14, 2009

With all the films debuting at the Toronto Film Festival, one is already getting tremendous buzz and plenty of Oscar talk.

The bleak, dark and inspirational film 'Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire' has folks talking.
Executive producers Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry, who will support Lionsgate's distribution of the film through their respective motion picture companies, Harpo Films and 34th Street Films, were on hand to discuss the movie.

Most of the cast (Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Sherrie Shepherd, an unrecognizable Mariah Carey and Grace Hightower); along with director Lee Daniels; producer Lisa Cortes; Mary J. Blige, who penned a song for the film; and screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher, headed overseas for the festival showing. Also attending was the book's author Sapphire.
Mo'Nique, who's generating Oscar talk for her role in the film, couldn't attend. She's currently shooting her new show, which will air on BET.

After its initial showing at the Sundance, the Lee Daniels-directed film has received nothing but praise.
Set in Harlem in 1987, the movie follows the story of Claireece "Precious" Jones (Sidibe), a 16-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 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 be down, but she is never out. Beneath her impassive expression is a watchful, curious young woman with an inchoate but unshakable sense that other possibilities exist for her. Threatened with expulsion, Precious is offered the chance to transfer to an alternative school. She 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 (Patton), Precious begins a journey that will lead her from darkness, pain and powerlessness to light, love and self-determination.

'Precious' opens on Nov. 6.






 



Photo Gallery: Click on photos to view them larger

Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe
Mary J. Blige & Producer Lisa Cortes Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe Gabourey "Gabby" Sidibe &

Mariah Carey Mary J. Blige
Lee Daniels Mariah Carey Mary J. Blige

Mariah Carey & Sherri Shepherd Paula Patton
Producer Lisa Cortes Mariah Carey & Sherrie Shepherd Paula Patton

Tyler Perry & Mary J. Blige

Sherri Shepherd, Mariah Carey
Tyler Perry & Mary J Blige Sherrie Shepherd Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
co-director of TIFF Cameron Baile Sherrie Shepherd and Simone Smalls Gaborey 'Gabby' Sidibe
and Sherrie Shepherd
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Gaborey 'Gabby' Sidibe Grace Hightower, Robert De Niro, Sherrie Shepherd Lee Daniels, Sherrie Shephard, Roger Ebert and wife Chaz
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Lee Daniels Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey and Lee Daniels Mariah Carey and Lee Daniels
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey and Lee Daniels Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige Mary J. Blige and her husband Kendu Isaacs
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey Mary J. Blige Mother of screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey and Sherrie Shepherd
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Paula Patton and Gaborey 'Gabby' Sidibe Paula Patton and husband Robin Thicke Paula Patton and husband Robin Thicke
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Paula Patton Precious author Sapphire Precious cast
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Producer Lisa Cortes and Sherre Shepherd Producer Lisa Cortes Robert De Niro and Wife Grace Hightower
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Robin Thicke Roger Ebert's wife Chaz and Precious author Sapphire Screenwriter Geoffrey Fletcher and Mom
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Sherrie Shepherd and Mary J. Blige Sherrie Shepherd Suzanne Somers
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey Mariah Carey
Talent agent Charles King Tyler Perry and Mary J. Blige Tyler Perry and Oprah
Mariah Carey Mariah Carey  
Tyler Perry and Oprah Tyler Perry and Oprah  
     



 

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