Push Starring Mariah Carey, Mo’Nique Among Sundance Film Festival Winners

echo adrotate_group(2);

While Mariah Carey’s 2001 movie Glitter was reported to have no Glitter, her latest role in the film “Push” managed to be among the winners at the Sundance Film Festival on last week. According to reports, the singer and rising actress role was played phenomenally.

The film which is about a 16-year-old girl name Precious Jones, who was impregnated by her father and beaten by her mother is based on the New York Times best seller by Ramona Lofton and was directed by newcomer Lee Daniels (movies include Oscar winning Monster’s Ball starring Halle Berry, Shadowboxer, etc..).echo adrotate_group(1);

Starring in the movie were newcomer and teen actress Gabourey Sidibe who played Precious (an overweight teenager in Harlem), Mariah Carey who played the part of a welfare worker named Mrs. Weiss, comedian/actress Mo’Nique who played the role of Precious’ mother, Lenny Kravitz who served as a nurse’s aide that helped deliver one of the protagonist’s children, Paula Patton (Idlewild) who played a school teacher and talk-show host/actress Sherri Shepherd who played a small supporting character in the movie.

The film stole Sundance’s Audience and Grand Jury awards in the U.S. Dramatic Competition on the last day of the Utah festival. Comedian/actress Mo’Nique, also managed to grab a special jury prize for her portrayal of Precious’ mentally ill mother and abusive mother.

The Sundance Film Festival list of awards from Saturday nights ceremony:

Directing Award: U.S. Documentary – Natalia Almada, “El General”
Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic – Cary Joji Fukunaga, “Sin Nombre”
World Cinema Directing Award: Documentary – Havana Marking, “Afghan Star”
World Cinema Directing Award: Dramatic – Oliver Hirschbiegel, “Five Minutes of Heaven”
Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award – Nicholas Jasenovec and Charlyne Yi, “Paper Heart”
World Cinema Screenwriting Award – Oliver Hirschbiegel, “Five Minutes of Heaven”
U.S. Documentary Editing Award – Karen Schmeer, “Sergio,” directed by Greg Barker
World Cinema Documentary Editing Award – Janus Billeskov Jansen and Thomas Papapetros, “Burma VJ,” directed by Anders Østergaard
Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary – Bob Richman, “The September Issue,” directed by R.J. Cutler
Excellence in Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic – Adriano Goldman, “Sin Nombre,” directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga
World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary – John Maringouin, “Big River Man”
World Cinema Cinematography Award: Dramatic – John De Borman, “An Education,” directed by Lone Scherfig
World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Originality – Benoît Delépine and Gustave de Kervern, “Louise-Michel”
World Cinema Special Jury Prize: Documentary – Ngawang Choephel, “Tibet in Song”
World Cinema Special Jury Prize for Acting – Catalina Saavedra, “The Maid (La Nana)”
Special Jury Prize: U.S. Documentary – Jeff Stilson, “Good Hair”
Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Independence – Lynn Shelton, “Humpday”
Special Jury Prize for Acting – Mo’Nique, “Push: Based on the Novel by Sapphire”

Photo Credit: Michelle Meyers/CNET Networks