Lee Daniels "Push" Heads to the Sundance Film Festival

From AOL's BV Newswire:

As filmmaker Lee Daniels gears up to take his latest movie, 'Push,' to the Sundance Film Festival next week, BlackVoices.com has obtained an exclusive image from the gritty drama -- sure to make everyone take notice in Park City Utah.
The eagerly anticipated film, based on the best-selling book of the same name, boasts an all-star cast including Mo'Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, Mariah Carey, Kimberly Russell, and Sherri Shepherd of 'The View.'

Newcomer Gabourey Sidibe is playing the starring role.

Daniels, who produced the critically acclaimed film 'Monster's Ball' (which netted Halle Berry her history making Academy Award win), has established a reputation of pushing the envelope with creative casting choices.

In 'Shadowboxer,' Academy Award winners Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Helen Mirren played assassins with hearts of gold. For 'The Woodsman,' Kevin Bacon battled his pedophilia past, as rappers Mos Def and Eve portrayed unrelenting police officers. And in 'Tennessee,' pop diva Carey plays a country & western singing waitress on the run.

For 'Push,' the super-sized comedienne Mo'Nique will be seen as she has never been seen before.
"Working again with Mo'Nique was like going home," Daniels told BlackVoices.com today. "We're family." In 'Shadowboxer,' the "Queen of Comedy" portrayed a narcotics abusing medical professional.
Though she already has garnered a strong buzz, 'Push' actually tells the story of a confused, overweight African-American girl named Clareece "Precious" Jones.

Verbally and sexually abused by her family, her troubles lead to problems in school. Precious, as she is known, has no friends, no money, two kids (from her father), and she's illiterate. After being accepted into an alternative school where a teacher (played by Patton) helps her find an alternative path in her life.

Along her journey, she comes across a concerned social worker (played by Carey) and a nurse (played by Kravitz) who shows her much kindness. "Ever since I read the book, I saw Push as a movie," Daniels explained. "And finally after Sapphire saw my film, 'Shadowboxer,' she granted me the rights."

In a recent 'Essence' magazine interview, she revealed how her very own molestation to the role inspired her performance. "My brother was a monster to me," she said, "When Lee [Daniels] would say 'Action,' I became my brother."

Patton, who's making a name for herself as one of Black Hollywood's rising stars, talked candidly and in-depth about her role during a recent interview." I play the schoolteacher, Ms. Rain. The story revolves around a young girl that grew up in Harlem that has faced unimaginable abuse and she is severely overweight and has a second child coming on the way; and the world has forgotten her. She's been left behind. Somehow she got through the eighth grade and still doesn't know how to read. She's befriended by this schoolteacher and together we forge a friendship." "I push her to keep her will to live and tell her that she can be the best that she can be, and she can do more than anyone thought she can do," she continued.

"Although she can't read right now, she can go to college. She then pushes me because at one point I was in a sad case with my family because I'm a lesbian and my mom has rejected me. The love that I get from her is replacing that from my mother. It's a really beautiful friendship."

'Push', which is set to make its world premiere at "The 2009 Sundance Film Festival," which takes place in Park City, Utah from Jan.15 through - Jan. 25."It's been exciting and challenging and I can't wait to get to Sundance for the world to see all of my hard work," Daniels concluded.

"Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil." -James Lane Allen