Fender Security Marcus Zavala, Photo by Michael Korbic The Sundance Film Festival had a lot of music surrounding it this year. One of the central places to unwind and hear some live tunes was the Fender Music Lodge. With different bands performing throughout the day in a very intimate setting, Fender was the place to be. Mandi Perkins of Of Verona, Photo by Dianna Renée During the intimate, live, rock shows, organic, fair trade spirits were served up by Fa...

 by Marla LewinLenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey celebrate with Lee Daniels at Spirit AwardsLee Daniels' Precious swept the 25th anniversary of the Film Independent Spirit Awards taking home the Best Feature, Best Director, Best First Screenplay, Best Female Lead and Best Supporting Female awards. Precious won in every category for which it was nominated taking 5 awards. The other winners were lucky that Precious didn't have any male actors nominated and Lee Daniels wasn't a first time filmmaker....

My friend, Ellen told me she was having a discussion with a neighbor about Precious and this person said they felt the film was patronizing. She in turn asked me if I thought so too? My response: I know the definition of the word "patronizing", but how would I put it in my own words - when someone feels superior in some manner and gives due or agrees with someone else, for that other person's benefit, but not because they really feel it. Since the film "Precious" is...

  In the 81 year history of the Academy Awards, nearly 500 films have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. Up until now, not a single film that was directed by a black filmmaker has been included on that list. However, this year, with the critical and popular success of the urban indie drama PRECIOUS, that ignoble record could be history. PRECIOUS, directed by Lee Daniels, has undergone a fascinating journey to become the "it" film of the indie film season.....a jo...

by Marla LewinFilm Independent announced nominations this morning for the 25th Film Independent Spirit Awards.  Nominees for Best Feature include (500) Days Of Summer, Amreeka, Precious, Sin Nombre and The Last Station.  Taraji P. Henson and Matt Dillon also announced finalists for the Acura Someone to Watch Award, the Truer Than Fiction Award, and the Piaget Producers Award. A Serious Man was selected for the Robert Altman Award, which is given to one film’s director, casting director and ...

  Link to video interview with director Lee Daniels of the American indie hit PRECIOUS, on stage at the Jacob Burns Film Center, New York on Monday, November 9: http://www.burnsfilmcenter.org/films/precious-moreinfo ...

  Oscar, meet Precious........the Academy Awards have just gotten their first blast of ghetto love with the rising tide surrounding the urban drama PRECIOUS: Based On The Novel Push By Sapphire by producer-turned-director Lee Daniels. The film, a major hit out of Sundance and screened to great acclaim in Cannes, Toronto and New York, opened theatrically in the United States this past weekend…..and broke box office records for its per-screen performance. Logging in an astonishing $100,00...

Last night the AFI hosted a star studded, red carpet affair introducing the world to Clarice "PRECIOUS" Jones, directed by Lee Daniels. A film that will "split you open," is due to open later this week. Audience members, the likes of which made me feel like I was crashing a private party for all the cool kids, included Olivia Wilde, Lisa Edelstein, Mary J. Blige, Nick Cannon, Sidney Hicks, Gayle King, Paula Abdul, Jamie Foxx, Eva Longoria Parker, Will Smith, Forest &...

By Maria Esteves - October 21, 2009 The 47th New York Film Festival 2009 (NYFF09) presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, was held at the new state of the art Alice Tully Hall, September 25 - October 11, 2009. A special press screening of  "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE," preceded the press conference with director Lee Daniels moderated by NYFF selection committee Melissa Anderson, at the Walter Reade Theater, on Thursday, October 1, 1:00 PM. PRECIOUS,...

By Maria Esteves - October 7, 2009 The 47th New York Film Festival 2009 (NYFF09) Centerpiece Presentation of "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL PUSH BY SAPPHIRE, directed by Lee Dainels was held at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on Saturday, October 3, 7:00 PM.  NYFF09 presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, Centerpiece red carpet arrivals included cast of actors, directors, producers, recording artists, and celebrity guests. PRECIOUS released by Lionsgate, winner of the Audien...

  Oscar, meet Precious........the Academy Awards have just gotten their first blast of ghetto love with the rising tides surrounding the urban drama PRECIOUS: Based On A Novel By Sapphire by producer-turned-director Lee Daniels. The film, a major hit out of Sundance and screening as the Centerpiece Film this past weekend at the New York Film Festival, is getting some of the hottest reviews of the year and positioning its director, screenwriter, actors and techicians into the Oscar gold ...

By Maria Esteves - August 14, 2009 The  47th New York Film Festival (NYFF) will be held at Lincoln Center, Friday, September 25 - Sunday, October 11, 2009. The festival presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center, annually showcase the best in American and International cinema. This year's festival showcasing 29 feature films from 17 countries includes Special Events, HBO Films Dialogues, Avant-Garde, and Oshima. HBO Films Dialogues with directors Jia Zhangke, Wong Kar-wai, Darren...