Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are executive producers of “Precious,” which had a premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend. The film will be about a girl over coming abuse. Oprah and Perry got in on the project because the creator of the film Lee Daniels who produced the Oscar winning film “Monsters Ball” wanted to bring more attention to the project. In an interview with The Associated Press, Winfrey said she was happy to help bring more attention to the film.
“Everyone needs someone to help them navigate,” the TV talk show host explained. “I had Bill Cosby, Quincy Jones, Sidney Poitier and Maya Angelou who I look to. You can’t do that on your own. Someone has to show it to you.”
Daniels produced “Monster’s Ball,” which won Halle Berry an Oscar for best actress in 2002. She adapted “Precious” from Sapphire’s novel “Push.” It tells the story of an illiterate black girl who manages to rise above poverty, sexual and mental abuse. The film, which stars Mo’Nique, Mariah Carey, Paula Patton and others, won the Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and has been generating Oscar buzz.
Still, Daniels believes the cachet of Oprah and hit filmmaker Perry will help the film, which comes out on Nov. 6, build a greater audience.
This is a story that represents many young people all throughout this country definitely a tear jerker. I had had to hold back just watching the trailer.
Precious Trailer:
