Push, starring Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz and Mo’Nique won big at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. The film won Grand Jury Prize: U.S. Dramatic, World Cinema Jury Prize: Dramatic and Mo’Nique won Special Jury Prize for Acting.  The story is about Precious, an obese young girl who is trying to survive and live in Harlem.

The director, Lee Daniels, said in accepting one of his many awards, “We don’t have no money. We got $2 to make some s— happen. We’re doing this story about this fat black girl who doesn’t have a voice. They’re all in it for the craft.”  Daniels added, “I think [this win] means there’s hope for people of color. Just because Obama’s president doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to translate down to our world of cinema. And I think what it does is reiterate and strengthen this power of, Get yourself a freakin’ video camera. And you go out and tell your truth. That’s what I started doing as a kid, and I think inevitably, it led to this. It’s just so much hope.”

Chris Rock snagged the Special Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary for Good Hair.

This year was a tremendous year for black film at the Sundance Film Festival. Over 30 black films were presented and many found distribution deals such as Tyson (a documentary on boxer Mike Tyson), Black Dynamite (blaxpoitation comedy) and Brooklyn’s Finest (starring Don Cheadle and directed by Antoine Fuqua). However, even though Push racked up all these awards and has the star power of Carey and Kravitz, to date, the film has not gotten a distribution deal.  Hopefully that will change sooner than later.

TAGS: Chris Rock, Lee Daniels, Mariah Carey, Mo'Nique, Precious

Comments (69)