The Treatment
Lee Daniels: Precious
"Precious," the story of an overweight and abused Harlem single mother fighting to survive, won this year's Sundance Film Festival’s Audience and Grand Jury prizes...
By Elvis Mitchell • • 28m ListenThe movie Precious is the story of an overweight and abused Harlem single mother fighting to survive. The film came out of the Sundance Film Festival this year with the Audience and Grand Jury prizes, as well as Oprah Winfrey as a supporter. Director Lee Daniels (Shadowboxer, The Woodsman, Monster's Ball) talks us through his journey.
Daniels reveals what attracted him to Precious, his preference for difficult subject matter, feeling an outsider in Hollywood and his conviction that there is a little bit of Precious in all of us. He also discusses lead actress Gabourey Sidibe, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey's involvement in the film, the role of music, how the film's fantasy, humor and soundtrack help balance the harrowing elements, and his desire that African Americans not to be afraid of this film.
Banner image: Daniels with Gabourey Sidibe