PUSH: Based on the novel by Sapphire

A friend of mine from my hometown of Champaign, IL sent me some information regarding this independent film that won rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Anyone that knows me I am a big fan of independent films. They tell such a powerful story that engages you from beginning to end!! This one in particular is a film call PUSH (not to be confused with the movie PUSH hitting theaters February 6, 2009) based on a novel by author Sapphire.

With sheer audacity and utter authenticity, director Lee Daniels tackles Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire and creates an unforgettable film that sets a new standard for cinema of its kind. Precious Jones (Gabourey Sidibe) is a high-school girl with nothing working in her favor. She is pregnant with her father’s child—for the second time. She can’t read or write, and her schoolmates tease her for being fat. Her home life is a horror, ruled by a mother (Mo’Nique) who keeps her imprisoned both emotionally and physically. Precious’s instincts tell her one thing: if she’s ever going to break from the chains of ignorance, she will have to dig deeply into her own resources.Don’t be misled—Push is not a film wallowing in the stillness of depression; instead, it vibrates with the kind of energy derived only from anger and hope. The entire cast are amazing; they carry out a firestorm of raw emotion. Daniels has drawn from them inimitable performances that will rivet you to your seat and leave you too shocked to breathe. If you passed Precious on the street, you probably wouldn’t notice her. But when her story is revealed, as Daniels does in this courageous film, you are left with an indelible image of a young woman who—with creativity, humor, and ferocity—finds the strength to turn her life around. *

Just recently it won the Grand Jury & Audience Awards at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and now Oprah & Tyler Perry's production companies have picked it up to promote & distribute it! And with such a powerful cast (Gabourey Sidibe, Paula Patton, Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz) it's one not to miss.

Here is what Oprah had to say about the film:

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Winfrey said in a statement. “The moment I saw Push: Based on the novel by Sapphire, I knew I wanted to do whatever I could to encourage other people to see this movie. The film is so raw and powerful—it split me open.”

Here is a previw clip of the film:

*Description from http://festival.sundance.org/