'Precious' Wins Audience Award at 2009 Toronto International Film Festival

Posted by Cecily Layzell Sep 24, 2009

Director Lee Daniels' harrowing but hopeful film Precious has won the Cadillac People's Choice Award at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival.

The film stars Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Mo'Nique, Paula Patton and Sherri Shepherd in supporting roles and newcomer Gabourey Sidibe in the title role. Abused by her mother and raped by her father, African-American teenager Claireece 'Precious' Jones (Sidibe) is angry, illiterate, overweight and pregnant. After being offered the chance to enroll in an alternative school, she meets literacy teacher Ms. Rain (Patton) who sets her on a new path of hope and self-determination.

The gritty tale premiered earlier in the year at the Sundance Film Festival, also bagging the audience award there. Backed by Oprah Winfrey, who was one of the movie's executive producers, Precious already looks Oscar-bound.