'Precious' is Full of 'Spirit'. . . Awards That Is

Precious has become a favorite pick for the upcoming Oscars, and this is proven as the movie won five Spirit Awards at the Independent Spirit Awards yesterday in Los Angeles. The five awards that Precious took home are: Best Picture, Best Actress (Gabourey Sidibe), Best Supporting Actress (Mo'Nique), Best Screenplay by a New Writer (Geoffrey Fletcher), and Best Director (Lee Daniels).

Although Mo'Nique is slated as a top choice for Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars, she commented, "Have I prepared a speech for Sunday? No. No. Why is that? Because I think the universe would say: 'You have a lot of nerve.'"

Precious is based on the book Push by Sapphire, which details the life of an illiterate teenage girl trying to get her life together and get out of a cycle of abuse and neglect.

Other winners at the Spirit Awards included Jeff Bridges as Best Actor for Crazy Heart, Woody Harrelson as Best Supporting Actor for The Messenger.

The Spirit Awards honors movies that cost less than $20 million to make and are presented by Film Independent, a cinema group.